Women In Love
by Ethereal Forest
Summary: Academia is over for Mari whilst Akko continues on her Vocational Course, but what will happen to their young love as they begin facing the wider world?
1. Coming Home, Coming Out

**Coming Home, Coming Out**

It was late evening; streetlights shedding rainfalls of light onto the dim street, set against a darkening mauve sky.

Mari stared out at the sky, picking out the specked stars cowing against the glare of the city lights and revelling in the nostalgic comfort of being home; the place and room she had spent so much of her earlier years.

She glanced behind her. The room was tidier now. In the half gloom there were no lurking piles of heaped clothes lumped on the floor or stacked towers of books; she had been at college far more than home recently after all, and having a college roommate had made neatness a more ingrained habit.

"Tea Mariko," she heard her mother call in a crisp voice, though it had become a fraction higher over the last few years. Mari smiled. Some things never changed though; her mother's kindness and dedication in looking after both her and her brother had remained a constant and warming factor for as long as she could remember.

"Coming!" She called back. A few years ago the quieter Mari might not have called at all but simply mumbled before stumbling along to the kitchen. Mari checked her hair, or rather the hair Akko had styled for her when they last met, in the mirror and then walked over to the door, framed in a golden rim; the carpet soft beneath her bare feet.

_I wonder what we're having? _

She opened the door, squinting as light from the hall ran into the room and her eyes adjusted to its glare. Sniffing she caught a faintly spicy tang mixed with the wholesome undercurrent of noodles.

_Probably a chicken chilli udon. I wonder what Akko's eating tonight? I hope it's nothing too unhealthy. It's been tough keeping her on track diet wise whilst we've been apart, although not as hard as it could have been._

She blushed as she reached the bottom of the stairs and headed towards the kitchen come dining room, remembering Akko's admission that she was finding it far easier to stay focused on eating healthily now that she had Mari to think of; but Akko had been staying at her mums whilst on her Vocational Course and working part time at a local hairdresser salon and old habits die hard.

The table was already laid with food when Mari entered; two places laid for her mother and herself. Her father was working late tonight and had requested his tea be kept warm for later. Her brother was going out with school friends to the cinema and so was eating out.

"Ah Mari, there you are. It's all done so just take a seat."

Mari's mum was darting between the kitchen counter and table, putting the finishing touches to the meal and adding a few sauces. Her shiny dark hair was tied back into a ponytail with a dark blue ribbon and she wore a white summery dress beneath her blue and white kitchen apron.

Food steamed from two large bowls on the table in a collage of red, blacks and orange upon beds of creamy noodles. There were black noodle chopsticks to the right of each bowl; the bowls facing each other across the table. Mari took the seat nearest the living room, with her back to it whilst her mother wiped her hands on a kitchen towel, hung up her apron and slid into the seat opposite.

"Iditakimasu!" They both said in unison with heads bowed before picking up the chopsticks and tucking in; the aroma of spice and seafood whetting their appetite. For five minutes neither spoke as they concentrated on tucking into their food, but as their stomachs settled in satisfaction their eating slowed and conversation crept in.

At first it simply touched on news from college and home, comfortable subjects requiring little thought: One of Mari's friends from her old school had set up as a dentist nearby; Aunt Minna had moved north to a care home in the mountains and the neighbours next door had changed again. From Mari came tales of College: Of mishaps; her friends there and how she felt her finals had gone, which was quite well. Inevitably though, given that academia had run its course, Mari finally found herself on the end of a more searching question.

"So what do you plan on doing next Mari?"

Mari sighed, picking at one of the last stray noodles in her bowl; not out of nervousness, just unsure of an answer.

"I don't know yet," she said, glancing up at her mum. "I have a few ideas but I need to discuss, to think them over." Mari chided herself a little for the slip, but then it was only a minor one. Her mother made no comment, standing up and gathering the bowls.

"Fair enough, don't think too long though Mari. You need to be applying for jobs soon. Do you want desert?"

"Um," Mari replied. Her mother, having placed the bowls in the stainless steel sink, went over to the fridge and removed a fruit salad in a large glass bowl covered with Clingfilm.

"Cream?" She asked, placing the glass bowl on the grey marble work surface and moving back to the fridge.

"Yes, please," Mari said, watching her mother take the cream from the side door and sending the white fridge door swinging shut with a soft click.

Deftly Mari's mother removed a couple of smaller porcelain white bowls and, with the aid of a pair of metal tongues, transferred the fruit salad to the bowls in green, yellow and red clumps. Next she opened the carton of cream and poured it into the bowls, before taking two new pairs of chopsticks from a slide draw beneath the sink and turning round; slipping one of the bowls over to Mari with a pair of gleaming black chopsticks reflecting the room in their surface.

"Thanks!" Mari said happily as her mother took her own bowl and chopsticks from the counter and sat down opposite. As Mari's mother sat she asked,

"One thing I haven't heard is any mention of a boyfriend. I know you don't like to talk about it when your father and brother are around but is there anyone who caught your eye at College?"

Mari froze with chopsticks in mid descent to a chunk of pineapple. Her hand trembled slightly and her heart sounded awfully loud. She and Akko had somehow managed to avoid telling anyone about their relationship aside from Sugi and Tamamin, a year ago, and also a couple of very close friends on their respective courses since then. They'd discussed when to tell their parents and agreed soon, but somehow soon had always felt like a long way off.

Forcing herself to calm down Mari captured the pineapple piece deftly between her chopsticks. After all there was no real need to panic, yet.

"No, there was no-one who caught my eye at College," she said as she put the tangy, sweet chunk into her mouth and chewed on it.

Her mother sighed and, looking up, Mari saw sadness in her mother's eyes.

"I do worry that your fathers paranoia about you dating has made you a little too reserved, Mari. Have you even tried dating anyone?"

"Ummm..." This was **not** going well. She stared at her salad, unsure how to respond.

"You know I know a few nice lads who've asked after you whilst you've been away. As long as you don't say a word to your father I'd be happy to pass their names on to you?"

Hating the feeling of disappointment and misguided helpfulness being aimed at her by her mum Mari found herself blurting out,

"It's okay mum, really. I already have someone."

A chunk of apple smeared with a river of cream dropped back into her mother's bowl; Mari's gaze fixated on where it would have landed.

"But I thought you hadn't found anyone..."

"...at College," Mari finished her mums questioning sentence. "I've been seeing someone since High School."

Mari returned her gaze to her own bowl, aware of the blush spreading over her face. She snatched an apple slice from the left side of her own bowl and shoved it into her mouth, chewing vigorously.

It took a while before Mari's mother spoke again, sounding a little hurt.

"Well that's great, but it would have been nice if you could have told at least me before now. I mean I haven't even met him have I?"

Clearly Mari's mum was running though a list of potential people in her head. Mari kept chewing the piece of apple; only the skin was left now.

"Was this where you were going when you said you were going to Akko's? Was she covering for you?"

_Well more like covering me, _Mari thought as she managed to gasp a 'no'. She finished chewing the skin and swallowed. Maybe if she didn't say any more her mother would lose interest. Maybe...

"Mari, how far have you actually gone with this guy?"

Mari drew a deep breath, her face burning and her eyes finding her salad an increasingly interesting source of study. She couldn't even bring herself to pick up any more food as images of Akko's body smoothly pressing against hers, Akko's warmth and how Akko made her feel flashed through her mind and along her skin.

"You haven't actually gone all the way with him have you?"

_I wish I was Akko right now; she's actually good at lying. I can't even half lie to my mum. _

Mari's silence and red face was all the confirmation Mari's mum needed to substantiate her fears.

"Unprotected?" She asked worried.

Mari clacked her chopsticks nervously and almost dropped them into the salad.

"Mari," her mother said, but now infused with a mixture of unbearable sadness and disappointment. Her mother had insisted on telling her a couple of times before and also during College about the dangers of sleeping with a guy unprotected.

Mari felt herself shifting uncomfortably.

_Why am I so afraid to say it? Can it be any worse than what my mother is thinking of me now? No! I just need courage to stand for what I believe is right. I have no reason to be ashamed. _

"It, we didn't need protection," Mari managed to gasp.

_Bother, that doesn't help._

"Mari..."

Thinking of Akko gave her the courage to look up and face her mum as she clarified the situation.

"Mum we're both girls."

Mari's mum's eyes widened and she took a deep breath. Then she returned to eating her fruit salad steadily with furrowed eyebrows. Unsure how to react Mari did the same, glad for the chance to collect her own thoughts.

"Akko?" Her mother asked after two mouthfuls.

Mari glanced up but her mother's eyes were unreadable. Mari nodded and returned to trying to capture a particularly smooth chunk of pineapple with a splodge of cream near the top.

"Are you, I mean are you sure about this Mari?"

_Thank goodness for an easy question. _

"Yes." Her voice rang out steady and firm.

"But have you even tried dating another...I mean a guy?"

Mari sighed. Well a bit more truth coming out now didn't really matter.

"Yeah I did. Back at school after I confessed to Akko and got turned down. I tried to forget her by dating a really nice guy who asked me out."

"And?" Her mum's eyes focused intently on her again making her uncomfortable, so she glanced away to the right.

"And I just couldn't feel anything for him. He took me out to the fireworks and tried to kiss me but I couldn't."

"You couldn't?"

"No. It felt so wrong. So I ended up accidently slapping him instead."

That elicited a small snort of laughter from her mother, who then scratched the front of her hair with her left hand, looking bothered.

"God knows what your father's going to make of this."

Mari stared at her mother in horror, a new wave of adrenalin flooding her system.

"You're not going to tell him are you?"

Mari's mum blinked at Mari's terror and she gave a weak half smile.

"Not for now. But I will have to soon if you don't mention it, which you should if you're serious about this relationship, right? Does Akko-san's mum know?"

Mari let out a sigh of relief and shook her head, starting to feel glad for the first time that the conversation had cropped up. Her mum was right and at least she'd have time to prepare herself to tell dad.

"I see. Well can I suggest that you bring it up with her in the near future too. And perhaps Akko-san can come round for lunch on Saturday. I think your brother will be out doing something then but your father should be around."

Mari gave a small smile and nodded as she finished the last of her salad. Right now she just wanted to go clear her head and assess what had happened.

_I've told my mother I'm gay with my best friend. I've actually told her! _

She avoided thinking too much on the fact she'd also told her mother they'd already slept together.

Luckily it seemed her mother wanted some time to think as well as she gathered up the bowls, put them in the sink and turned to face Mari.

"I'll want to talk things over with you a bit more Mari, if that's okay, but right now I just need time to think over things. This...has been quite a shock."

Mari's eyes widened, seeing a side to her mother she had rarely glimpsed; someone more vulnerable and unsure. It was a little scary, especially considering she was part of the cause of it. Nodding Mari rose from the table.

"Okay, thanks for the food oka-san."

"You're welcome," Mari's mum said with another faint smile before turning back to the sink and switching on the taps. Mari shoved her own wooden chair under the table and walked out of the room, eager to escape the cold linoleum beneath her feet.

_I can't blame mum for worrying though, it is something that will trouble her and dad for a number of reasons. Its part of the reason we've been so reluctant to tell our parents: No children, naturally at least; no big wedding, in the traditional sense; the stigma. In many ways our love isn't convenient, but the alternative of a loveless relationship with anyone other than Akko would be a living hell compared to those difficulties!_

Her steps quickened as she went up the stairs and into her room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Moonlight spilt onto the bed from the moon and an outside streetlight slung a more sickly orange light against the back wall. It was light enough to see well after a few seconds of shutting her eyes and Mari threw herself onto her bed having done so.

There she withdrew her pink cell phone from her right pocket, holding it above her head as she switched it on and unlocked it; the sparkly tassel hanging from it gleaming in the glow from the mobiles screen, lighting up Mari's face with its ghostly light.

There were no new messages since Akko's earlier text about meeting up the following day. Mari quickly began typing a new message, black characters appearing in a blur on the white text box; outside she heard someone laugh and considered pausing to get up and look, but she had to tell Akko the news.

She smiled as she checked the text.

_Akko's always been the one whom I've told things to first. _

The text read:

'**Hey Akko guess what? I just told my mum about us :o She started quizzing me about b/fs and it kinda came out :s Luv Mari xxx'**

She hit send and saw the green bar push across to full before the screen flashed her current credit. She clicked okay and rested the cell by her left side, only having to wait a minute for the cell to vibrate.

'**Wow! No way! How did she take it? Are you ok? Want 2 come over? x3x'**

A flurry of tapping later Mari hit send again with the following message:

'**I know ;) She was ok, kinda shocked. I'm gd, but tired – will talk 2morrow as need sleep xxx**

Mari levered herself up and walked over to the curtains, pulling the light green cotton across to shut out the outside; there was no sign of whoever had been laughing. Behind her, her phone started buzzing on her bed like a trapped insect.

"Hai, hai," she muttered under her breath happily. This message simply read:

'**Kay, see you 12 2morrow – have missed you so much! Sweet Dreams ;) Xx'**

Mari chuckled and felt familiar warmth spread through her, gentle and stirring unlike the embarrassed blushing of earlier. She typed a final message to Akko:

'**Me too! So much! Sweet Dreams :)**

She watched it disappear then placed the mobile on the square, smooth wooden surface of her bedside table in front of her bedside lamp; she flicked the push switch to activate the lamp so she could find her pyjamas, casting a gentle pink glow about the room.

Once they were found, clothes changed and toiletries dispensed with Mari wrapped herself beneath her warm, fluffy quilt and began drifting off to sleep.

_Whatever we must face I know in Akko I'm strong enough. No-one else could ever make me feel the way I do when she's with me. I love her so much! So, so much! Just thinking of her and being apart makes my heart ache to be beside her. I wonder how much longer it will be until I am – more permanently at least? And how tough will it be for us in the years to come? _

_At any rate it doesn't matter. I will put in the effort to make it work and I know she's the same, because nothing in this life is worth anything near the bond and happiness we share._

Her eyes slipped shut and sleep stole away any further thoughts, replacing them with an array of surreal and colourful dreams in fleeting existence; to be forgotten as quickly as they appeared.

* * *

_I've left this down as in progress as, although it was going to be a one-shot, I might well add a few more Chapters to it although not sure how soon I'll manage it atm; but hope you enjoyed this Chapter in any event :)_


	2. Anticipation

**Anticipation**

Mari sat munching on a slice of toast coated with apricot jam and melted butter as about her, her mother dashed about the kitchen. Mari's hair was damp and bunched up within a white cotton turban towel spiralling from her forehead. To her left her father sat sipping green tea and reading the financial newspaper. Opposite her, her brother was gulping down a glass of milk; a sprinkle of bread crumbs littering his plate.

She smiled; his tousled hair brought back memories of him when younger. Most of them were good although he, like most young boys had had far too much energy and a little too much mischief. Now though, aside from the hair he was far removed from the cute kid of old. More rugged and well built, and the first signs of hair appearing on his face. It was a little disconcerting, so focusing on his hair and the fact that his table manners were as bad as ever were pleasant links to her brother of old.

"I'm off," He gasped after downing the milk and putting his ceramic beaker down on the table with a low thud. He grabbed his satchel from by the chair and ran for the door, his shirt coming untucked at the back and flapping out beneath his rustic red blazer.

_It's been a long time since I did the dash to school; I'm much calmer now than then. Or perhaps less impressionable. _

She cast a glance at her mum, but she seemed back to her usual self. Catching Mari's eye she smiled and asked her if she wanted any more toast. Mari shook her head and said no thanks; after all she was meeting up with Akko for lunch. Her dad left next, folding up the paper and rising for work. Almost as an afterthought he asked,

"What are your plans then for today Mari?"

Mari felt her eyes narrow for a second wondering if this was a trap and her mother had sold her out. But within a few seconds she had dismissed the thought. She'd be getting a second degree interrogation from her dad if that had happened; at least a second degree.

Sounding calmer than she felt she said,

"I'm going out with Akko to catch up." Her father nodded. Her mother said nothing but quietly turned to the sink and switched on the taps. As she rose, the chair sliding back with a soft rumble on the floor, her father added,

"Good. At some point we're going to need to discuss your future Mari, now that you've finished College."

Mari nodded and felt her throat go dry. That would mean discussing Akko in some measure, for what was her future now without her?

"We were thinking that we should all sit down and discuss it Saturday evening dear," Mari's mum said purposely, turning and casting her husband a look that was somehow both a question and a statement.

Mari's dad nodded and adjusted his glasses with his right hand as he left the room.

"Good, so be it." Then he was gone.

Mari drew a deep breath. That was just over 7 days away. To sort out her future and then also reveal her relationship with Akko to her dad. She was very glad she was seeing Akko today. She was also grateful, in a paradoxical way, to the assistance her mum was giving her.

"Thanks mum," she said as she rose from the table.

"You're welcome," her mum replied as she picked up the plates from the table and slipped them into the sink. "Now go and sort things out with Akko so that you know what you're going to tell him on Saturday."

Mari gave her mum a small smile and nod before leaving the kitchen. A part of her was longing to know what her mother thought about Akko and her after a nights sleep, but she was equally a little scared of knowing and so said nothing. Instead she padded along the soft landing carpet, feeling the fluff between her toes and leaving the clinking of plates and splashing of water behind her.

On drying her hair and dumping the towel into the landing wash basket she turned her attention to her wardrobe and considered what she should wear. This took a while; a couple of outfits were set aside as no longer suitable, a few more just survived as she couldn't afford to be too fussy given she was still living on a small allowance from her parents at present.

Finally she settled on one of her spring one-piece dresses, white folds that stopped just below the knee and a square cut top. It was one Akko had picked out for her over Christmas. Having slipped into it she grasped the top of her handbag from the bottom of her closet, a soft red leather bag with the flap over lid fixed n place by a rectangular silver buckle, embossed with the designers name, _Junipei, _on the side. Carrying it over to her bed she sat down on the side facing her window by her bedside table so that she could check the time.

The clock by her bedside; a round pink frame with two large cupcakes, one cherry and one chocolate chip, that were scattered as though engaged in some merry dance. The minute hand at present was cleaving the cherry cupcake in the bottom left, time showing 9.40am.

_I'm meeting Akko at 12.10 and it takes about 40 minutes to get there. But I'll want to browse for something for her as well, perhaps. Chocolates maybe. So I'll go around 10.45. _

Her eyes moved from the clock and slipped to the picture frame to its right. The first thing she saw every morning and the last thing she looked at each night.

The frame itself was a silver patchwork of vines but within that sat a photo of Akko and her, taken in the photo-booth on leaving High School, a reminder of the days they had and the promise of the days to come.

_It's not too much longer now until we can think of living together. If that's what Akko wants as well. She has a year left on her Vocational Course and so practically we can't until we both have jobs. Just me working would be hard to sustain the living costs. I wonder though if Akko would want to move in with me? That soon anyway. I find that every day we don't is nagging at me. What if we never do? How could I stand that? What if...?_

For a short while doubts clouded her and began spiralling. There was her father after all. And Akko's mother to tell. And various friends would eventually find out. How could she do this all? How could she be strong enough?

With a long sigh and a heavy heart she glanced again at the clock and was shocked to see it was 10.30.

_Did I really spend all that time procrastinating? Anyway Akko will know the right thing to say, she's good like that. Sometimes I feel she knows me better than myself._

Smile returning Mari unclipped the front of her handbag and rummaged through it, checking everything was in place; her green travel card, magenta purse with her spending money, compact beauty case, mirror, phone and a few miscellaneous items such as discount cards for various places.

"Good," she said, shutting the flap shut on the handbag with a sharp click. She slipped the strap over her right shoulder and stood up, her body adjusting to the added weight on her right side.

She walked over to her dresser, a cabinet that sat in the far right corner of the room, the centrepiece of which was a large oval mirror in wooden frame. There she examined her face closely, something she had become accustomed to doing as Akko constantly peppered her with advice on styling.

She brushed a lock of hair up and under her clip, a large turquoise one with an ornamental pink and white lily at one end.

_Not bad, just need a few more dabs of powder to the left cheek. And maybe a touch of eyeliner. I should go for a shorter hairstyle now that it's spring. _

She spent around 10 minutes making use of the mini cosmetic stall that sat upon her dresser, although it was a long way from approaching the size and quantity of products that lined Akko's room and that had only increased since Akko had been attending her vocational course.

The time was now 10.43 by her clock and so Mari slipped out of her bedroom, glancing once out the window to double check the weather. The sky was blue and although she hadn't seen a weather forecast she figured she may as well assume it wouldn't rain. She couldn't remember where she'd put her umbrella exactly and carrying it about would be a bit of a nuisance.

A quick trip to the bathroom later and Mari was putting on her white trainers, each with a couple of pink stripes along each side and velcro tops. Then she rose and placed one hand on the cold, smooth bronze door latch.

"I'm going mum," she called out.

"Have a safe trip." Her mum called back, and then she was out into the fresh air surrounding the house. There was a slight breeze and the air was a touch too chilly to be completely comfortable in a onepiece. Mari debated going back for a coat but decided against it, after all the sun was out and the sky largely blue so by lunchtime it should be a bit warmer. She strode out onto the pavement and turned right to the station; there was no-one else about and she felt safe from the familiarity of the area; it was filled with semi-detached houses and there were plenty of trees sprouting from the gardens that combined with the scent of flowers and the occasional buzzing of a hard working bee.

_I've walked this route how many times now? And had this thought so many times now? But until I met Akko it was such a lifeless route to take. Akko..._

Her pace quickened as she headed towards the station, right hand clutching her handbag to her side to prevent it bumping about.

_...I can't wait to see her again._

* * *

_Thanks for all the reviews, received loud and clear and with much joy :) It has always been my intention to try and write a fic for this pair post the manga where they deal with life beyond High School (I have had to readjust a bit as I thought Akko's course was 2 and Mari's 3 whereas in fact its the other way round). Apologies for the lack of AkkoxMari in this one, I felt it was better to get an update out this weekend and that seemed a good point to stop - there will be more aplenty in the next Chapter though :)_


	3. Happiness Is In Being Held

**Happiness Is In Being Held**

Akko ran the comb smoothly through the woman's hair, removing any remaining tangles to complete the look. Putting the black ebony comb back onto one of the shelves Akko withdrew a shiny square mirror residing within a plain black plastic frame.

The woman spent a long time scrutinising her cut; Akko held her breath and gave the TV, stuck on the music channel, a quick glance. In the bottom right, beneath 5 girls dancing in stripy jumpers in a white studio, the time was imprinted on the exclamation rich blue footer running news of product promotion.

**12.04**

Akko muscles tightened with tension. Her present customer had already asked to have her hair shortened twice and then the style tweaked at the front, so that the fringe ran at a slightly different angle.

"Hm. It'll do," the woman said stuffily. Akko's smile widened a little too far as she placed the mirror back under the counter, imagining how the women would look with her long black hair cut to shreds by a rampaging pair of scissors.

Instead she took the dusting brush and carefully dusted the loose hair off the customer; she looked like she was in her late thirties or early forties. _Probably the wife of some relatively well to do business man_. She had the attitude of someone with something to boast of, but not the grace of someone who was truly abundant in riches.

_A status symbol. Someone who is tied by duty. Someone I don't want to be._

She thought of a certain dark haired, brown eyed girl and smiled.

_And won't be. Shoot! I need to hurry._

Removing the gown from the woman she moved over to the till. Payment was a mercifully short and uneventful affair and the woman was soon striding out of the shop; Akko resisted the temptation to stick her tongue out, instead grabbing the dark green plastic brush from behind the till.

_I'm not a kid anymore after all. _

Hastily she started brushing the hair about the chair her customer had been in into the back right corner of the room.

"Hey I'll take care of that Oohashi-san," Angela said as she emerged from the back room. Angela was a blonde American girl who was apparently on some sort of abroad scheme for a year. Akko wasn't terribly sure of the details but it seemed she was working part time to pay for travelling; regardless she had proved a very useful source of new styles and tips.

"You're supposed to be meeting your friend, right?"

Akko nodded and handed over the broom with a grateful smile.

"Thanks," she said, dashing past Angela and into the back of the store. The back rooms were a bit cramped with a box kitchen on the right, the toilet beyond that and then the storage and dressing room at the back; Akko made her way into the latter.

There were a handful of beanbags and wooden chairs gathered around a flat glass table in the right corner. The table was littered with circular tea stains and a variety of older fashion magazines; the later magazines were all out in the front. The room wasn't large though, with the table and chairs taking up a third of the room. It was also poorly lit, two small rectangular windows set high to either side of the metal back door.

Akko headed past the cabinets and mirrors on the left side, stuffed with styling products in tubes and bottles, to the back wall where her sky blue puffa coat with puffed white sleeves was hanging; her shiny black shoes making no sound on the dull cream carpet.

She glanced at the clock above the door, a plain black ring encircling the black arrows that mercilessly marched onwards with no regard to those who milled around.

**12.09**

"_Shit" _Akko said under her breath and conjured up a vision of the fussy women she'd just served being shaved bald.

She grabbed her purple handbag, threw it over her left shoulder and took a few steps backwards to the large oval mirror on the left wall. Frowning, she smoothed out a few strands of hair sticking up or out of place and wondered whether to put on some more face powder. Another glance at the minute hand edging past the 3 convinced her otherwise.

_I'd text but I'll be there in 5 minutes and I'll get there pretty quickly. No time to dally._

She strode over to the door and twisted down the cold metal handle, jerking the stiff hinges to life and pulling it back to allow sunlight to flood the shop.

Glancing left and right she stepped out onto a narrow tarmac alleyway, wide enough to squeeze a car down and no more; the car park for this row of shops and offices was further down on the right where various cars glinted green, silver and blue like futuristic beached whales.

In front of her ran a weathered wooden fence with a rickety gate; the depth of the buildings concertinaed on the other sides so that whilst some were pressed up against the roadway others had a rear area used for storage, or gardens or just derelict land.

Akko was more concerned with the weather though, having ascertained there was no traffic approaching. She glanced up and was relieved to see bright blue sky. It was what the weather report had said it would be and she did have a jet black umbrella in her handbag but nonetheless it made things easier and the world a bit brighter.

She walked quickly up the driveway and past the white pole barrier, providing a deceptively strong guard to the car park, before turning right onto the paved streets amidst various stores and the occasional skyscraper.

It was busy and crowded and her steps didn't feel as fast as they should be. She had to resist the urge to shout at one guy who moved in front of her whilst texting on his phone.

_Mari will be waiting and worrying you moron! Don't hold me up! Well it's that women's fault really._

She looked across the road. Further down she caught sight of a flash of white outside the restaurant they had chosen to meet up at.

_I bet that's Mari, I think I see her dark hair too. _

Akko crossed over the road, weaving and ducking the lunch time crowds; closer and closer to the bob of dark hair that remained outside of Sukiya.

About 3 metres away she got her first clear sight of her. A white summery dress shifting against a body she knew so well; hands that stopped hers shaking that day typing on a pink mobile that still held their charm; spotless white trainers and socks from which smooth legs flowed and a face framed by mid-length, smooth and silken chocolate hair that shimmered in the sun.

_I need to see her eyes though to make the picture complete. She's typing a text,_ _presumably a 'where are you?' message._

Akko practically sprinted the remaining distance between them. Mari spun to face her as she heard running footsteps, to find Akko flinging arms about her shoulders and encasing her lover in a tight hug and an impulsive, delighted cry of 'Mari!'

Akko's hands felt the warmth of Mari's shoulders as they moulded about them, arms criss-crossing behind Mari's back. A more direct warmth flowed from Mari's left cheek pressed against her right; a familiar, soothing and pleasant sensation. Her body relaxed into Mari's and she felt her girlfriends tension from being jumped upon melting away in turn; Mari's arms moved up her back to hold her, be it only the left one was palm open.

She recalled Mari's words so long ago: 'I never thought I would get so much happiness just from holding you' and smiled.

_Mari always says just the right things to make life seem so special. Like this I'm the happiest girl alive. But then love is in a way quite simple._

It seemed they stayed like that for a long time before Mari broke the silence.

"Ah, Akko," Mari sighed in happiness and pleasure by her left ear, followed a few seconds later by a slightly more chiding,

"You almost made me break my phone just now you know."

Akko laughed.

"Sorry. And sorry for being late. When I saw you I couldn't help myself. I had to run."

Mari's arms began loosening from around Akko's back and her head started moving away. Then it paused and her lips hovered by Akko's cheek before moving quickly and softly to deliver a gentle kiss.

"You're forgiven," Mari whispered, "but you'll have to make it up to me later, okay?"

Akko's eyes widened and beetroot red she nodded.

_That's the first time Mari's kissed me in public, be it only on the cheek. But so bold! So...God help me; I have to wait a whole day to make it up to her! It's not fair! _

For a brief second she suddenly found herself lost in Mari's eyes that bored into hers, wondering yet again whether they were more hazel or chocolate. Then the moment passed as Mari grabbed her left hand.

"Come on, lets get some lunch. I bet you're hungry."

Akko's stomach answered before she could and laughing they turned and pushed open the glass doors leading into Sukiya.

* * *

_Altho it's taken a while I've managed at least to get them to meet at last as well :D Thanks also to those who R&R - your comments are, as ever, much enjoyed & appreciated :)_


	4. A Surprise Serving

**A Surprise Serving **

Soft, brick red cushioned seats sat nestled in light wooden frames throughout the cream white interior of Sakiya. The place had the same sort of comfortable feel of Starbucks, spacious and classy. It was busy, but there were a number of free tables as most workers chose to eat out at fast food and takeaway places during their short lunch breaks; Akko was only working a half day which was why they were able to come here now.

Akko's middle right finger poked the cushion she sat on, feeling the fuzzy surface bounce and press back through the taut springs beneath. Her left hand was wrapped around a cool tall glass, from which she took a long slurp of banana milkshake via a blue, yellow and white striped straw; their food was on the way.

She glanced up, towards the back of the restaurant where the chefs worked; behind her by a few metres ran the glass front of the shop. Mari was in the process of taking a sip from an identical straw that plunged into a pink strawberry milkshake, the frothy top trying to cling to the smooth walls of the long glass as the sakura coloured lake descended. Mari's lips bent around the straw, forming two moist lines around the 'o' shape of the straw. Akko's left hand twitched slightly about the glass as her gaze fell on them.

_Somehow, even though we've been going out so long, she still has this effect on me_.

Mari's eyes skimmed up off the surface of the draining milkshake and met hers. Akko started to glance away as she used to when caught looking, stopped as she realised Mari would know what the glance away would mean, and glanced wildly about in embarrassment before settling on the safety of her milkshake; capturing the straw with her own lips with a faint warmth spreading through her cheeks.

Mari giggled and Akko abandoned the sip mid-way to look up, a small current of bitter sweet flavour running down her throat.

"You were watching my lips then, Akko?" Mari asked innocently. Mari had a faint blush but it was nothing to that of the Mari of two years ago. If anything Mari seemed to be genuinely enjoying the fact Akko had been staring at her lips in public.

"Eh. Ah. Well yes...Ummm." It was with some effort that Akko managed to keep looking at Mari's face and not to glance away.

"I don't mind you know. Actually it makes me really happy."

_Not good! This could lead to me kissing her or something the way things are going. _

Akko suffered an internal panic attack as she tried to overcome the urge to lean across and engage in a spot of personal indulgence.

_It's been too long after all. _

"Ah! Yes," she'd remembered the question she'd most wanted to ask; a salvation of sorts. "So, tell me what happened yesterday with your mum."

"Oh yes. Well I went down for tea and towards the end of it my mum started trying to play match-maker for me; she was saying that there were some nice guys who had been asking about me..."

"Did she say who they were?" Akko blinked and her eyebrows narrowed dangerously; Mari was fairly sure her right hand, currently resting beneath the table, would be clenched.

Mari shook her head and giggled.

"No, but they don't have a chance with me you know Akko. So you don't need to go round and jumpkick them or anything."

"As if," Akko replied relaxing in her seat._ But its a shame, I really do want to try dropkicking someone into a hedge or something someday. Particularly if it's defending Mari, with Mari watching. That's be cool!_

"Anyway I had to tell her I was going out with someone at which point she began guessing who; and I'm bad at lying so she figured it out pretty quickly."

"How?"

"Well she asked if it was someone at Uni and I said pre Uni. Then she thought you'd been covering for me back then which I said wasn't true. Then she began asking about...well you know."

Mari went a little red and glanced at the table. It was easy for Akko to guess what she meant. Mari was still very reserved about talking about anything intimate, in public at least; although she'd been getting more used to discussing their intimacy in private.

"Yeah," Akko said, noticing Mari's hands slip from about her glass onto the table. There they remained clasped together with her fingers flexing every now and again.

"Well I couldn't lie and so she panicked about, well protection and stuff. So I had to tell her I was with a girl. Then it was easy for her to guess."

"Was she disgusted?" Akko was trying to keep focused on the tale and not the fact that an embarrassed and slightly vulnerable Mari was doing funny things to her libido.

"I don't know," Mari sighed and her hands clenched a bit tighter. Mari glanced up at the ceiling. "I don't think she knows what to think. My dad though. He'll be..."

Mari's hands shook and her eyes briefly closed; when they opened they glistened. Instinctively Akko's hand reached out and round Mari's; encasing her girlfriends slender ones with her own.

"It'll be okay Mari. I'll be by your side whatever happens okay? I won't ever let you go."

Mari's eyes locked with Akko's, and in them Akko felt an overwhelming love. A smile crept onto Mari's face and Akko felt the tension melting from her hands.

"Yeah I know. Thanks Akko."

_How can people mock what we have? When we take away each others pain and anxiety from such simple words. When the feelings inside me burn this strongly, _Mari thought.

"Mari-chan! Akko-chan! It is you!"

Simultaneously the pair glanced left and right, and up to the familiar voice.

"Eh Mayu-chan?" Mari exclaimed. Before them, attired in a white shirt, dark waistcoat and trousers, stood Mari's childhood friend. Her light brown hair framed a beautiful face with striking blue eyes highlighted with black eyeliner and accentuated through the absence of glasses. In her hands she held two plates of steaming food. "Is that really you?"

Mayu giggled.

"Yeah, I ditched the glasses for contact lenses last year as I could do a lot more that way make up wise. But it's all thanks to you to you know. Once I realised how beautiful I could look I never went back." Mayu's eyes strayed down to the table and Akko's hands clasped around Mari's. Then back up to Mari's red face and sparkling eyes.

"Am I interrupting you though?" She asked, her eyes uncomprehending and curious.

Mari and Akko's eyes had also snapped onto the fact that their hands were still clasped together and instinctively Akko drew hers back across the table; knowing how sensitive Mari was about people finding out.

"Not at all," Akko said with forced lightness, trying to find a topic to distract Mayu as Mayu slipped the plates in front of them.

"Are you still going out with that senpai?" The last time Mari had seen Mayu was August last year, and Akko sometime in the summer when there had been a beach trip with Sugi and Tamamin. She thought she remembered Mari mentioning that Mayu was still dating the sempai though, but that would have been late last year...

Mayu shook her head but not unhappily.

"No, we went out for a while but we weren't right so we parted late last year. I'm dating another guy now at college. We've been going out for a while now. Oh! That reminds me: Mari, are you still going out with the guy you mentioned before?"

Mari had returned to take a much needed sip of milkshake to calm herself down; Mari choked rather uncomfortably on said mouthful of strawberry flavoured milkshake.

**Cough. Cough. **Sadly the choking didn't last long enough to provide a suitable distraction or cause for concern. Feeling the expectation of Mayu's gaze growing Mari finally managed to mumble an answer.

"Yeah sort of."

"Okay..." Mayu said curiously. Mercifully as far as Mari was concerned she didn't press things further but turned to Akko and asked out of politeness,

"And how about you Akko-chan. Have you found someone yet?"

Akko smiled, although she wouldn't name Mari, she had an urge to show Mari she wasn't afraid to let people know. To match Mari's courage with her mother. To build her up for facing her own mum.

"Yeah, I'm dating someone really great!"

"Really, what is he like?"

"_She's_ really sweet, cute, and has an amazing personality," Akko responded smoothly.

"Oh that's...eh?"

Mayu's eyebrows raised a little and something akin to shock flashed through the pools of sky in her eyes. Out of the corner of her right eye Akko noted Mari was taking an exceptionally long, slow sip from her milkshake.

"You mean you're, well, dating a girl?"

Akko wondered if Mayu-chan's eyes could be any wider than they were now. Mari wondered if focusing hard enough on the centre of the rapidly descending strawberry pink pool would enable her to somehow drop into it. Her hands were clasped tightly about the glass.

"Yes." Akko replied brightly, a little defiantly to cover the nerves she was feeling. Partly from what Mayu would think and partly because she was a little unsure if Mari was going to be upset by this. _Maybe she thinks I'm being too open about this with her friend? _

For a second Akko felt uncomfortable, then Mayu blinked and the feeling passed.

"Well that's great. As long as you get on then I'm sure you'll be happy!" Mayu said with a small smile.

"Thanks Mayu-chan! I know I will." Akko responded and flashed Mayu a grateful smile. Clearly there were those then who wouldn't be so against the idea of two girls. Mari had stopped drinking from her straw.

"Right, well I should really be heading back or else I'll be scolded by my manager," Mayu said with a small nod of her head to Akko and Mari.

As Mayu turned to walk off Mari suddenly spoke up.

"We should really catch up properly later this week Mayu-chan. It's been too long."

Mayu looked back and gave Mari a grin.

"Sure, I'm off Wednesday and Thursday so just give me a text. I've still got the same number."

"Umm," Mari responded. Mayu was already off, weaving back towards the kitchen along the corridor parting the pool of tables and diners; her black high heeled shoes clacking against the black and white tiled squares.

A brief silence reigned as the pair digested what had just happened, both glancing over to the kitchen area to reassure themselves it was safe to speak.

"Um...I'm sorry." Mari said looking at the table at first and then up into Akko's eyes. "I should have been able to tell her by now."

Akko chuckled. "Don't worry. Remember it's our special privilege. We can choose to tell who we want when we want, by and large anyways."

Akko looked thoughtful for a moment, gazing up at the panelled ceiling, punctuated by metal cooling fans, as her left hand drummed randomly on the wooden table. Mari watched her hand drumming next to a pair of black chopsticks; admiring how well treated the nails were with the soft pink varnish and how elegant Akko's fingers were, how those fingers made her feel...

"I think I'll tell my own mum this week," Akko suddenly said.

"Eh?"

Akko's hand paused in its drumming and her gaze moved back to Mari's.

"Well if you've told yours it makes sense to right? After all I don't want my mum getting a call about it from yours out of the blue."

Mari nodded as she picked up her chopsticks. The smell of well cooked food saturated the air about the pair from the square white china plates in front of them.

"But how?"

Akko frowned and glanced right and down.

"I dunno, by email or text I..."

A low growl reminded her that her stomach was empty and getting increasingly annoyed that she was sitting stoic before a plate of mouth-watering cream noodles, flecked with green herbs and curling about a plate of delicacies; mushrooms, peppers, onions, prawns and egg rings.

Mari smiled,

"Shall we eat first and plan later?"

Akko nodded and with eyes locking they both said together, be it Mari softer and Akko more enthusiastically,

"Itadakimasu!"

Chopsticks clacked and dived to grasp the first bounty as they tucked into their yaki udons.

_Planning can wait a little while after all,_Mari thought as the first strand of noodle melted in her mouth; it was good, the seasoning giving it flavour and the egg ring a different texture and sharper taste.

_After all..._She glanced over at Akko who's expression was chewing the first mouthful with eyes half shut in bliss..._it's not so much the how that matters when we share the love and the desire to make it work that we do. That way although their will be painful moments we can overcome them and come out smiling. That I can keep Akko's smile like it is now as much as is possible in this world is my greatest wish after all._

* * *

_Production of Chapters is likely to be somewhat sporadic next few months as I'm entering a recruitment period job wise - and keep getting so many good idea for one shots off the back of a number of new series that I'm struggling to resist writing; but will continue to try and update my profile weekly with any progress._

_Thanks for all the fantastic reviews :D I'm really glad so many people are enjoying this XD _

_In answer to where the idea for Angela came from - not sure, there was a need for an outside characters and I felt led for it to be a blonde Westerner in this instance; that concept may have roots in Aoi Yori Aoshi and Tina. Name wise I used to read a book with a blonde girl named Angela and also ssociate Angela-Angel-Blonde hair for some reason so I imagine that's where that came from. In the end though in this particular Universe that's who appeared, with all her own unique hopes and fears (though whether she'll feature much more or at all in this segment of Akko and Mari's life I have no idea as of yet)I_


	5. Time Together

**Time Together**

Lunch passed peacefully, the only sounds being the clink of chopsticks against enamel and the variety of shoe beats on the polished floor about them. Akko naturally finished first, despite having slowed a bit from her rather unladylike speed eating of old.

"Ah that was good!" She left the chopsticks haphazardly spread across the circular white sea, flecked with green herbs, before her.

Mari looked up and smiled, mouth closed and chewing on a mixture of noodles, peppers and mushroom.

_A full Akko is a contented Akko. I only wish it were my meals making her smile like that...as her housewife. _

Akko's eyes sparkled as they met Mari's but as Mari was still eating Akko refrained from speaking. Mari hastily went for another mouthful before Akko noticed that her thoughts were running into the realm of fantasy; scooping up another clump of grey, purple and green delicacies ensnared and entangled within cream vines. Akko let out a contented sigh and leaned back, left hand on her heavy stomach and right resting on the table, occasionally drumming a beat. Her eyes remained on Mari, who was putting all her attention into finishing off the small mound of food left on her plate.

_I never really noticed the way her cheeks puff out like that when she's eating. Of course she's always quite careful and deliberate when she eats as well. That's so like her; it's part of why I love her. The Mari back then before we met was so dutiful and disciplined, but she was so lacking in colour. Is it too much to say I gave her that colour? Well a little perhaps, as she herself has done so herself, but to have helped make Mari how she is today makes me feel so warm. _

A clink confirmed that Mari's chopsticks had hit her plate and her meal was finished. Akko noted smugly that Mari had indeed placed her chopsticks in neat parallel lines and then, feeling as though she ought in case it offended some God of manners, adjusted her chopsticks with her right hand.

Akko looked up from the chopsticks at Mari; if Mari had noticed her adjusting them she didn't mention it. Instead Mari had picked up a napkin and was dabbing at her face with it. Instinctively Akko's left hand rose up and her index finger brushed across her own mouth; it felt fine but she grabbed the white napkin from her tray with her left, gave it a small lick, and rubbed it across her mouth just in case.

Mari almost giggled and for a second she wondered whether to tease Akko by calling her a copycat, but the moment passed and Akko placed the crumpled napkin down beside her plate.

"Was it good?" Akko asked.

Mari nodded,

"Very good."

"Do you want pudding?"

Mari glanced up as she thought, then back again at Akko.

"Not right now. I'm feeling quite full. We can always get ice cream later."

Akko nodded and her eyes creased a little in anticipation at the mention of ice cream. It was quite warm outside and even warmer within the restaurant. In fact ice cream now wouldn't have been so bad but it would probably taste better in an hour or two.

"Then let's get the bill."

Akko sat up straight and began glancing about for a waiter or waitress in the vicinity, right, straight and left. There was a spiky haired waiter at 10 O'Clock but he was several tables away and taking an order from a couple of grey suited, slick haired men. Akko glanced about again, her feet pressing harder against the floor and legs straightening to give her a little more height, both hands gripping the table for support. For some reason she felt a little nervous in case the one who was closest turned out to be Mayu-chan but she couldn't quite place her finger on why.

_Probably because we've already spoken once today._ _Second conversations with a strange friend or rather a friend who's sort of a stranger within a short space of time tends to be awkward. _

Mari giggled and Akko's attention snapped back to her lover.

"What?"

"Nothing." Seeing Akko wasn't going to buy that Mari continued. "You just reminded me of a meercat looking for enemies in the desert."

_A meercat? _Akko frowned.

"It's a type of rodent that lives in the desert and runs about on two hind legs, but to see if an enemy is coming they stand very tall and peer about like you were doing," Mari explained. "I saw it on the Discovery Channel."

Akko's lip twitched and her eyes flickered slightly, unsure quite how to react to being compared to a rodent.

"They're very cute," Mari added softly, chocolate eyes meltingly warm. Akko's own eyes widened and a deep blush coloured her face. She almost missed the spiky haired waiter passing their table on the way back to the counter.

"Eh! Ah! Hey! Excuse me!"

The waiter turned and read the situation, bending down to collect their plates onto a single tray with practised ease.

As he balanced the trays he asked smoothly,

"Is there anything else you'd like? Deserts, tea, drinks?"

Both shook their heads.

"We're fine thanks," Mari said.

"Could we just get the bill?" Akko added.

"Certainly," the waiter said and left.

"So where shall we go next?" Akko asked.

"Hmm. Well I guess we could go clothes shopping for starters," Mari suggested, putting forward the obvious and endlessly absorbing focus of a young woman's life. "I need to get a few more summer dresses." Akko nodded.

"And I guess we can get some makeup as well. I want to try out some of the stuff I've been learning on you later."

"I look forward to it!" Mari exclaimed happily with a tilt of her head.

"That reminds me, are you okay to stay the night tonight? My mum's on a business trip, but is it going to be okay for you?" 'With your mum knowing about us' was left implied.

Mari nodded, feeling the slow warmth of anticipation flood her system; it always did whenever staying at Akko's for night was brought up. She'd been expecting to stay over but nonetheless it still sent a pleasant tingling flow through her system to hear it confirmed.

"It'll be fine, although I'm sure I'm going to feel a little embarrassed on the phone when I tell her I'm staying over. Anyway, even if she protests, she can't stop me being with you."

Akko was spared a further strike from cupid's arrow by the waiter re-appearing with a silver platter bearing a slip of paper, which he slid between them before disappearing swiftly on up the restaurant to deal with another customer.

Akko took the bill and glanced over it. As expected it wasn't bad value given the quality of the food.

"How much is it?" Mari asked.

"2,754 Yen," Akko answered, placing the bill back onto the thumb smudged platter and bending down to pick up her bag.

Mari also went to get hers. Akko grasped her handbag and undid the zipper as Mari placed her own up onto her lap.

"Don't worry Mari, I'll pay." Mari looked up startled.

"But..."

"No buts. I have a part time job at the moment so I pay. You can treat me when you start working."

Akko extracted a brown leather purse from her handbag and drew a few crinkled notes from it amounting to 2,800 Yen. She proceeded to place this under the arched bill in the centre of the platter. Mari looked, for a second, as though she was going to continue protesting and then thought better of it.

"Well I have a present for Akko later after all," she said. Akko looked at her and blushed making Mari blush.

"I meant an actual present Akko, though it's nothing big."

"Ah okay," Akko said and gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Shall we go?"

Mari nodded and within a few minutes they were on their way.

The wind had dipped and the sunshine was now making itself felt, giving a more summery feel to the day. Akko and Mari flitted about various department stores and cosmetic shops in the area for a good few hours. They were mainly window shopping although Mari did buy a couple of summer dresses, and Akko a summer top and skirt along with a range of new cosmetics.

"I do tend to spend an awful lot on cosmetics" Akko sighed as they left another perfumed store. "It does mean my clothing wardrobe is a bit bare."

"Mmm," Mari said, her eyes adjusting to the bright blue sky outside; the watery indoor light of the store was deceptively bright when one was inside. She glanced at Akko to her left on the pavement nearest the store. Akko was holding a couple of large paper bags in white and pink, designer names scrawled along the side in dark curving shapes. "You pull it off very well then. I've never noticed you looking anything other than trendy."

"Tere, tere." Akko gave another embarrassed giggle.

_Sometimes you're so direct Mari, it's truly adorable. _

"What should we do next then?" Akko asked.

"We could go see a movie? It's ages since I last went."

Akko nodded; it was the same for her. "What's on?"

Mari shook her head. "No idea. Shall we go see?"

Akko nodded and they made the 15 minute trek across town to the blank bulb covered cinema front with its shaded cave like mouth. With the sun beating down it looked surprisingly inviting.

"Ah!" Akko exclaimed, perking up.

"What?" Mari asked.

"They sell ice cream at the cinema!"

Mari chuckled. "Well let's see what's on first."

They waited for a break in the traffic and crossed the road, steering round a couple of males in loose horizontally striped T-Shirts and saggy dull jogging bottoms, ignoring the stares aimed their way. On reaching the other side Akko stepped ahead and up to the listings board.

The board had a plastic blue frame with shiny clear glass; although the building itself was quite old the facilities themselves had all been updated within the last few years. Mari joined Akko at the board and on impulse slipped her right hand into Akko's left palm. It was a usual occurrence by now and so didn't catch Akko by complete surprise, she simply smiled a bit more as her own hand entwined with Mari's.

"Well there are a couple of war films, a romantic comedy and a horror that are on in the next half an hour," Akko said, putting a little extra emphasis on the horror film. War films were okay but kinda dull, even if they were against aliens. Romantic comedy's she found in general nauseous because they involved a guy, and usually an idiotic dope of a guy who the attractive girl fell for, for no apparent reason. Horror was at least worth paying to see. But then Mari wasn't the keenest for horror movies.

"Are you sure you don't want to see '_Wound up in Tokyo'_?" Mari asked. In Mari's mind horror was only a few steps above war films, which were firmly at the bottom of things to do in a day. Romantic comedies made her think of her and Akko, and their future. For some reason though Akko didn't seem so keen on them.

Akko's cheeks puffed slightly and she gave Mari a 'really do we have to look?' Mari bit her lower lip as a silent battle of wills was fought between them.

"Okay lets watch _The Silhouette," _Mari said reluctantly. _At least if it's a horror it gives me an excuse to cling to Akko. _

Strangely enough, alongside the thrill and adrenalin of horror movies, having Mari cling to her arm was one of Akko's key motivations for choosing horror.

"Ous!" Akko declared as they passed from bright sunshine to the interior: Dull red carpet stained with dirt and spilt drink, lighter red walls and lighting from large square lights above and spotlights along the base of the walls. The ticket box was on the left side of the entrance, where a middle aged woman wearing glasses and straggled blonde hair sat behind a glass window. There were 5 people ahead of them in the queue so Mari and Akko had to endure a few minutes wait as the line inched forwards, saying nothing but holding hands. Finally they reached the window and Akko stepped forwards.

"Two tickets to see _The Silhouette _please."

The plump woman turned to a black, flat screen in front of her and began punching at the keys on the keyboard at a quick rate.

"Are you wanting seats together?" She asked, her tone infused with a touch of pessimism.

"Yes," Akko said, unclasping her left hand from Mari's and reaching up to her handbag.

"Fraid there aren't any for that one. It's near sold out."

Akko huffed in disappointment, her middle left finger tapping against the counter.

_Oh well, can't be helped..._

"How about _Wound up in Tokyo?_"

The woman tapped some more on her keyboard. "Yeah there are plenty of seats free."

"Go figure," Akko mumbled as she unzipped her handbag and pulled out her purse.

"Where would you like to sit?"

Akko glanced questioningly at Mari, a memory of the time she'd asked that of Mari at school and Mari had replied 'with Akko'.

"Towards the back," Mari replied after a seconds thought.

_Not this time then_, Akko thought in disappointment as she turned and nodded to the woman behind the glass. She began bashing keys again. Mari noticed the slight flash of disappointment on Akko's face, and guessing it was to do with the film choice decided to try and cheer Akko up.

"It's so we can snuggle closer at the back," she whispered in Akko's ear behind a cupped hand.

Akko blinked and was briefly so lost in her own dream world that she missed the woman quoting her the price.

A nudge from Mari brought her back.

"Akko?"

"Huh!" Akko blinked and realised the woman behind the glass was looking at her with light blue and rather soulless eyes.

"That'll be 1,450 Yen."

Nodding Akko hastily counted out the notes and coins from her purse and slid them through the hand sized gap between the glass and smooth grey counter.

An intermittent grating sound lasted a few seconds as a printer chewed and spat out a couple of light purple tickets, which were shoved at out at them.

There were already three or four people behind them so Akko took the tickets and with a quick thanks moved away from the counter, towards the barrier leading into the cinema. Mari followed.

"Right," Akko said, handing Mari her ticket and transferring hers to her right hand. Then she zipped up her handbag. "Let's go!"

Mari nodded and they both passed through the metallic turnstile guarding the narrow passage into the inner sanctum of the cinema. That widened to a square cavern with a popcorn filled counter to the left, behind that stood a young girl with blonde hair and a white apron with green stripes. She was presiding over glass barrels of luminous churning ice that stood against the back wall; taps bearing the picture of a overly cheerful dog holding a red and white striped cup of slush protruding from their base.

"I'll get the food," Mari said firmly. Akko didn't protest, correctly assuming that this was why Mari hadn't protested about her paying for the tickets. "Chocolate fudge right?"

Akko nodded.

"Do you want a drink as well?"

_Come to think of it I do feel thirsty._

"Yeah, a Coke."

Mari nodded and drifted over to the counter whilst fumbling with her own handbags clasp. Akko spent a couple of seconds glaring at the girl at the counter who looked a little too pretty for her to be entirely at ease, and then shook her head feeling stupid. Instead she moved over to the opposite wall and began reading the trailers for the upcoming movies for future reference.

_Best not to get stuck watching another Rom Com. Although I suppose if they make Mari happy...but I worry why they do. I should ask her at some point. _

"Here," Mari thrust a palm sized tub of chocolate fudge ice cream and a red striped cup with a blue, red and white striped straw towards her.

"Thanks!" Akko said happily. Clutching her ticket to her drink in her right and the ice cream in her left hand. Mari darted back to the counter and grabbed her own drink and vanilla ice cream before leading the way down the corridor to Screen 2.

The cinema only had 3 screens in total with 1 and 2 straight down the corridor from the snacks room, 3 was up a set of red carpeted stairs to the right of the corridor. The double doors into Screen 2 were dark red with silver handles, and above them stood the blue number 2 constrained within a red circle. Mari pushed open the left door with her left arm and then held it open with her left foot for Akko to enter.

The cinema itself was quite small, around 150 seats. Of those Akko reckoned about 60 were filled. They quickly made their way to the back middle row and picked their seats, just to the left of centre. The place was a little musty and adverts were already playing on the screen. At present a silver Toyota was racing across a desert, then the Arctic.

_As if anyone needs to cross the Arctic in their car. So stupid! _Akko thought as she took a long slow sip from her drink, enjoying the tang and coolness. It was quite hot in the cinema and the air was stagnant.

It didn't take long for the movie to start. It was every bit as dreadful as Akko expected and so, having finished the ice cream and drink, she settled for dozing off in the warmth of the cinema and with the pleasantness of Mari's left arm hugging her shoulders.

During a particularly cringe worthy moment where the main guy had been caught in some compromising situation involving an attractive girl he was helping and his fiancé whilst wearing nothing but a bath-towel she felt her head slipping. It came to rest on Mari's shoulder and she began dreaming.

She couldn't even remember what she'd been dreaming when Mari woke her up with a gentle tap to her head. She had a feeling it involved dress shopping though and for some reason some talking lipstick.

"Wha?"

"It's finished Akko," Mari sounded both amused and a little disapproving. On the screen credits rolled upwards like white bubbles in black liquid.

"Oh." Akko stretched and yawned and as she was still a little dozy asked,

"Was it good?"

"I thought so." Mari's voice was a little sharp. Akko glanced at her but she was collecting her own bags together and looking away.

_Are. I need to understand this better. Why she likes them I mean. I suppose I should have been paying at least a bit more attention. _

Not feeling up to asking a series of potentially minefield questions at present though she got up and headed out with Mari following. Most of the crowd had left and so the corridor and street outside only had a handful of people milling about. On getting outside the fresh air seemed to perk them up.

"Shall we head back to mine?" Akko asked, glancing at her silver watch on her left arm. "It's 4.30 already."

Mari nodded.

"Wait just a second and I'll clear it with my mum."

Akko nodded and gave Mari a concerned look. Mari though had a determined look on her face and gave her a confident smile. For the umpteenth time Akko found herself thinking,

_Mari really is so brave._

Pulling out her phone Mari flipped it open and leaned back against the cinema wall. It rang a couple of times, the charm swaying gently in the breeze.

"Hi mum"

.. ...

"Yeah I'm okay. I was just calling to say that I'm going to be spending the night at Akko's."

.. ...?

"Yep, Akko's"

.. ... ... ... .. .. ...?

"Err, no I don't think so"

.. ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Yep okay will do. Love you mum."

... ... ...

Mari flipped the phone shut. She was still smiling but there was a tinge of sadness there as well. Seeing Ako's concerned and curious look she said,

"I think she's still getting used to it. I didn't expect her to be over the moon about me staying at yours though, so I guess that's the best I could have hoped for."

"What's that?" Akko asked.

"Well she simply said 'I see, then I'll see you tomorrow'. But you could tell from her tone she wasn't overjoyed at the idea."

"It's good she's even that supportive though isn't it?" Akko responded as she took Mari's hand. "If she can react like that so soon after you told her then things can only get better. Besides she said she loved you right?"

Mari nodded as they began heading back to Akko's place.

"Um."

"And meant it, right?"

"Um."

Akko gave Mari a dazzling grin,

"Then everything will be fine."

"Mm!" Mari said with a nod, and her eyes regained some of their earlier sparkle.

_Your view of the World is often so simplistic and yet it always seems to make my own so vibrant. I am so, so, so lucky to have you!_

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the huge delay, just got off my job applications and then had a few days off, which I ploughed into the above - and still haven't managed to get back to Akko's apartment yet (sweatdrops). Not sure when I'll get the next one done by as I should really do a Chapter for another fic first but hope this provides a good Mariko dose in the meantime XD_


	6. A Healing Touch

**A Healing Touch**

Akko fumbled about in her bag and drew forth a small silver key with a ragged toothy edge.

"Aha!"

She slipped back the silver cover over the keyhole with her right hand and inserted the key with her left. Her shopping bags were leant against the whitewashed corridor wall to her right, like a collection of mini bill-boards.

Mari stood to her left and a little behind, holding a Supermart bag in addition to her clothing bags. They'd decided to stop by the supermarket on the way back and get some ingredients. The place hadn't been too busy and they were out relatively quickly. Akko had paid before Mari could protest, but sensed a slightly disapproving air from Mari.

_I don't know why. What's mine is hers right? Why does she get so picky about such things?_

She removed the key from the lock, it came out with its usual metallic rasp and she dropped it back into a small inner pouch on the inside of her bag. Then she reached out with her right hand and grasped the smooth, cold door handle and pushed down; it was old and jerked down rather than slipped. Pushing forwards Akko eased the white front door open.

"Okaeri!" Akko said as she stepped back to allow Mari in.

"Tadaima!" Mari said happily as she slipped past Akko, eager to lose the flapping bags about her; only stopping to kick off her trainers and push them neatly together with her left foot, before heading into the kitchen through a door on the left.

_Sometimes she kisses me on the cheek lightly as she enters, but I guess there were too many bags today._ Turning she retrieved her own bags from where they lay stacked untidily against the corridor wall. She lived in a modern apartment in a large white block, about halfway up. It was a nice place, even if it did lack the more spacious, rural feel of Mari's home.

_It's remarkable how few times I've been to Mari's; a couple of times for lunch when we were going somewhere in her district. But then I guess we were both worried about giving ourselves away by accident. My mother's hardly the same level of attentiveness, even if she does care. I'm grateful though as she's done so much to keep us supported. _

She stepped inside and brought the door shut with a sharp click so that they were locked off from the outside world, kicking off her shoes on the mat next to Mari's neatly placed pair.

Then she shifted her bags down to the door on the left which opened onto the kitchen. Mari had already passed through and flicked on the lights, small bright torches whose beams pooled on the kitchen tile and chess squared linoleum floor. Akko entered the small kitchen; which had a door in the far left corner that led onto the balcony and an open door on the right wall leading into the dining room.

Akko moved over to the open door and glanced into the shadowed dining room containing a large wooden table, four chunky wooden chairs, a couple of scenic pictures and a few green ferns sprouting from plastic pots about the large glass windows to the left. The place lacked any sort of personality and felt empty which was why Akko preferred to hang out in her room; even when her mum was about it seemed empty as she was usually preoccupied with her laptop or papers.

_It's always made me uncomfortable, although I understand it now. When I was younger I felt the laptop was replacing me, until mum showed me how to use it to talk to her. Even then she never really feels that real through the internet, although I know she's sacrificed a lot for our sakes._

Akko briefly set her bags down against the kitchen counter to the right of the door she'd entered by; just above the oven. Mari was sorting out the ingredients on the black marble counter opposite and glancing into the fridge.

_To have her here makes this place feel so much more a home: Cooking my meals, looking after the place, caring for me. Mari really is incredible. A perfect wife. My wife. I said it as a half-joke back then but it feels more real all the time._

Mari put a carton of milk and a couple of packets from the bag into the top section of the fridge, then looked round.

"Do we want to have dinner straight away?"

Akko blinked,

"Umm..." Her stomach growled and they giggled.

"Okay, I'll start preparing it in a minute. It'll take forty minutes though."

Akko nodded and picked up the bags from the floor.

"I'll go put this stuff away in our room."

_Our? It came out so naturally._

She couldn't tell if Mari noticed as Mari had her back to her but Mari's voice sounded a touch more cheerful than before as she added.

"Okay. I think I'll dump mine there first as well."

Akko led the way back out into the corridor and along into the top end of the dining room; the door to her mum's study on the right. They passed into a second corridor on the opposite side until they reached the door to Akko's bedroom. Akko's room was on the right; the room opposite hers was her mothers and further along at the end of the corridor, also on the right, was the door to the bathroom. Akko pulled down the metal handle of the door to her room and pushed gently, the door opening smoothly.

Entering, Akko's eyes scanned the room to check that it was presentable. Whilst not as tidy as Mari's it was less messy than it had been a few years ago for, like Mari, growing up had necessitated a transition to order. All the same the number of cosmetic and hair products had multiplied, at the cost of a few handbags and schoolbooks.

The room was almost box shaped, with wooden wardrobes to the right, her bed occupying the far wall beneath the window, TV and magazine shelf to the left and a small square kotatsu occupying the centre of the room. Akko flicked on the light and swung the bags down next to her bed and sat down on the clean white duvet; she'd changed it all this morning as she knew Mari might be staying over.

Mari followed Akko into the room and smiled as Akko let out a contended sigh, flopping backwards on the bed and unzipping her jacket top as she did so.

Mari dumped her bags by Akko's and flopped down next to her, along the bottom of the bed. She felt her shoulders sink into the cloudy softness and let out a small contented sigh of her own as the heat and weight of the last few hours melted. She wanted to open the window to let in a breeze but decided it was too much effort. Instead she settled for simply gazing at the white ceiling and paper-mache globe of a light hanging in the centre of the room like a mini sun. Next to her she heard a zipping sound and looked right to see Akko struggling out of her blue, puffy jacket. On breaking free Akko sat up, rolled it up and shoved it behind her head as a pillow. Akko wore a plain white T-Shirt beneath, not tight enough to give Mari a critical nosebleed but enough to make her heart thump harder. She returned her gaze back to the ceiling; that was for later after all. Not that they hadn't made love impromptu before; on arrival at the beach hostel last year for their reunion holiday with Sugi and Tamamin or when they'd gone climbing and got very lost sprung to mind, with all the memories of sweat, heat, nerves and pleasure attached. But today the plan was for a shower and food first.

Still it felt odd having Akko so close and not being able to see or feel her so Mari reached out her right hand and, after feeling about a bit, slipped it underneath and into Akko's palm, interlocking their fingers.

_There is so much happiness in being held; even the smallest of touches makes me feel like I've been moved to paradise._

They remained like that a while, silent and enjoying the others presence. Mari listening to Akko's breath rise and fall in short steep cycles and feeling Akko's blood pumping under the skin of the fleshy pad beneath Akko's thumb. Akko, after the initial joy of feeling Mari's hand slip into her own, started thinking about how she would tell her mother.

_That we're going out? Have been going out for sometime? Lovers' sounds a bit old fashioned and cliché. Do I mention anything about how far we've gone? Probably best not to..._

_Today has been really good though. I really missed seeing Mari when she was busy with her Course so to be able to see more of her in the coming weeks is great. And, aside from the movie, everything went well. Oh yeah, the movie..._

"What's the matter Akko?"

"Eh?"

"Your hand tensed a little".

Akko's eyes widened, taking in a little more of the endless white above.

_Holding hands acts as a pretty good mood detector._

"I was just thinking about the movie..."

Akko was glad, looking back now, on the split they had had regarding the choice of Courses. Since then they'd both begun making an effort to understand the other, rather than burying their differences and pretending it was all fine.

"Mmm?"

Mari's middle finger squeezed tighter against Akko's as Akko asked.

"Why do you like romantic comedies so much?"

Mari's fingers shifted against Akko's as she tried to work out what Akko was getting at.

"Because of the romance. It's really heart warming."

To Mari's consternation this seemed to make Akko's hand more tense and so she asked back.

"Why don't you like them Akko?"

Akko huffed.

"Because...because it's with a guy right?"

"Oh."

Akko stumbled on, finding it difficult to sum up exactly what she wanted to say. "And I get a bit... worried that what you want is some..guy to be saying those things to you and doing those things. So I can't really relax at all. I keep wanting to jump kick the guy and yell 'Get away from her!' all the time."

Mari's own hand softened at the last line and then shook gently with laughter.

"Ah. Akko. I'm sorry, I hadn't seen it like that at all. You know the real reason I like going to see those movies?"

Akko shook her head and glanced at Mari expectantly.

Mari, sensing the movement, tilted her head right and looked at Akko.

"It's because it reminds me of the moments between us. When I'm watching I always picture you saying what the guy says. When there's a confession it reminds me of how you confessed to me. That's why I like watching them."

"Mari."

Akko left her head rest and enveloped Mari, right arm encircling Mari's back with her right hand passing under Mari's body and nestling atop Mari's dress over her stomach. Akko's head buried itself into the crook of Mari's neck.

"Akko?"

"You're too cute Mari. I'm sorry for misunderstanding."

Mari's left arm passed over Akko's back and her hand rested on Akko's left shoulder, next to her face.

"That's okay, but there's no need to worry. I mean I do find the odd guy attractive, but there's no way any guy could give me anywhere near what you do. I set my heart on you a long time ago. Besides I think I tend to find girls more attractive than guys anyway."

"Ah." Akko still wondered why, knowing that, she felt more threat from guys than girls around Mari.

_Probably because I've generally found guys more attractive before Mari so I still project that idea onto her. And doubts spring up so irrationally sometimes; I know, as sure as I am alive, that Mari would never cheat on me._

She planted a kiss on a sensitive spot on Mari's neck and received a soft moan in response, repeating the action twice more as her right hand moved beneath Mari's dress. But before she could continue Mari broke and shuffled away, slipping off the bed to stand up with face flushed and breathing deeply.

"Later Akko, we need tea and a wash first."

Akko rolled onto her back and sat up with a mock pout on her face.

"Hai, hai, Mother Mari."

"Hey! I told you not to call me that!" Mari gave Akko a death glare that made the brunette chuckle.

"Sorry. I'll go wash then. Sure you don't want to join me?" Akko asked half seriously, giving Mari a sly grin as she stood and making Mari's face flush again.

"Stop tempting me Akko, I'm already at my limit."

"Well we'd enjoy it and still get clean. And the food would be a good appetiser afterwards. Somehow I really don't want to wait any longer, it's been so long."

It had been too long since Akko's body had held her so intimately, and Mari was still tingling from the kisses. She wavered for a few seconds before giving in.

"Okay, fine. It's your stomach's funeral though."

"It'll live." Akko said determinedly. Her stomach lodged a loud rumbled protest at this, sending Akko and Mari into a fit of giggles.

They picked out towels from the wicker basket in the far left corner of the room between the magazine shelf and desk; Akko removing one of a number of wigged plastic heads that lay about the room. The bathroom was too small to change in and so they changed in Akko's room; both guilty of staring from time to time at the other's body as more and more skin was revealed until they both stood naked and unashamed beside the kotatsu. They'd slept with each other enough times not to freak out and not know where to look out or ask questions like 'do I look okay?' as both used to do repeatedly.

"It seems a little silly to put on a towel," Akko mused as she draped her large lime one about her, "but I suppose if a burglar broke in or something whilst we were on our way to the bathroom it might be of use."

Mari struggled to see exactly what use it would be, or rather that there would be bigger problems than their state of undress. But going anywhere undressed still made her feel guilty, following years of overprotected overshadowing by her father; her own cream towel already wrapped about her. Akko then led the way down the corridor to the bathroom.

It was something of a miracle that they managed to make it into the bathroom before their bodies pressed and melded together. At some point Akko managed to turn on the shower sending a torrent of, initially lukewarm, water down on them; the area next to the bath was all emerald tile with a black drain hole in the floor making it a place to both shower and wash ones back. Warm water soaked their skins and carried away their sweat as pent up passion released to drive low gasps and moans to louder cries. Those cries, amidst the hissing water bouncing off the tiles, lasted some considerable time; completely eclipsing Mr Yamoto's dog barking at a passing cat, the hum of a Hoover in the flat below, the clicking of a key in the front door and the wings of a large moth beating against the shuttered window in a vain attempt to steal some light.

* * *

_Finally managed to finish this Chapter XD Origionally I thought they'd wait until later in the evening but Akko had other ideas whilst I was writing so luckily the stop point was a bit sooner: Before that I gave myself a headache planning Akko's flat and piecing it together using scenes from the manga. As ever please let me know what you think and what works/doesn't work, and a big thanks to all those who have already done so :D _


	7. Suffering A Surprise

**Suffering a Surprise**

Akko's mum pushed open the door to her apartment. It had been a day filled with travelling and not much else, endless miles covered within the hot greenhouses of trains and taxis. As a sales representative she had to travel all over Japan to various outlets and offices negotiating contracts, which meant she spent very little time at home; it paid the rent though, and she did like the aspect of being able to see so much of the world. On the other hand it sometimes bothered her that by spending so much time away from home she had been a bad mother to Akko. The trouble was that whilst she wanted to see Akko do well there had never been a very close connection between them, it was more the father that tended to bond with the daughter traditionally. And thoughts and talk of her husband were still a sore she'd rather not have brought up. Not that Akko had asked much about him for many years now.

She had been due to have talks this afternoon in a company office in a town fifty miles away but received a text on the way saying negotiations had been cancelled, which left her free until Monday. It wasn't uncommon for negotiations to be cancelled, any more than it was that she would be sent somewhere else Sunday.

She noticed the pair of smart, girlish trainers neatly placed on the mat alongside the slightly wonky pair of Akko's shiny black heels.

_So Kumakura-san is staying over tonight. She's probably finished her course now. She seems to have steered Akko along nicely in my absence these last few years; I'm glad Akko was able to make such a good friend. _

She bent down, put down her bags, and slipped out of her own, smartly polished, black heels; not wanting to be outdone by her guest's neatness she placed them neatly together facing the door before picking up an A4 sized black, leather computer bag containing her pocket laptop by its soft handles with her left hand and a plastic bag containing a couple of ready meals and some milk with her right. Usually she would eat out at restaurants with various directors so to lapse into ready meals at home didn't seem too great a crime, besides which she simply didn't have the energy to cook after several days on the go. She headed down towards the kitchen.

The kitchen lights were already on. She dumped the bag on the counter, five steps opposite the door she'd entered by, and pulled out the milk and one of the ready meals, a noodle based stir-fry, before opening the fridge. There was a fair bit more there than she remembered from Friday evening, and not just ready meals or Akko's usual jumble of less than healthy dietary requirements. In fact it looked like the ingredients for cooking an udon. She gave the empty kitchen a quick glance and then looked to her right at the plain white clock in its circular black frame on the wall above the door to the dining room. She was able to make out that it was just past 7.30. It was that late and they hadn't started cooking, unless the food was for tomorrow?

Akko's mum withdrew the second ready meal, a pasta and tuna bake, and hesitated. Then she slipped it into the fridge, scrunched up the flimsy, white plastic bag and pushed it into the flap of the grey plastic bin against the wall to her left; the bin was quite empty and the flap smacked shut with a dull thud.

_I'll go see if they're going to be cooking udon tonight first. If so there may be enough for me to have some as well, which would be better really. I've only met Kumakura-san a couple of times in passing, and only once here when I was on the laptop in the dining room when Akko dragged her through. A very polite girl, if a little too timid and homely. But she's doing home economics or something so I imagine she's a good cook. I need to put this bag away as well._

She walked into the dining room, lit by the light from the kitchen and the corridor opposite; there was too much cloud cover for much light from the heavens to enter through the large glass windows to the left. She flicked a switch to the left of the doorframe and turned the mock-chandelier light on, the room looked as usual and she quickly weaved around the table and chairs to the wooden corridor leading to the rear of the house.

It was now she heard the sound of water strumming down from a shower, but the sound seemed odd although she couldn't explain why. Still if one of them was using the shower the other must be in Akko's room. She took a few steps down the white walled corridor and knocked on Akko's door.

"Akko?"

No response. And was that some sort of cry from further down the corridor? She tensed. What was happening? To be sure she wrapped her slender hand about the cold handle and pushed down. The metal gave way and she pushed the door smoothly open with no resistance, to see an empty room. Two piles of clothes lay on the floor. Both girls uniform. That was a relief. For some reason she'd started wondering if Akko had brought a guy round without telling her. Presumably they were simply washing each others backs. But that cry still bothered her. She shut the door and paused, listening carefully.

Something suspiciously like a low moan pervaded the constant beating of water on tile and she found her face glowing. _Not a chance. But..._

She made her way up the corridor, trying to move as smoothly as possible. She heard a few more groans in increasing volume and then a distinct cry,

"Ah, Akko!"

There wasn't really mistaking that sort of cry, filled with longing. It was followed by a series of gasps and another loud "Ah!"

She wasn't quite sure how long she stood frozen, a couple of feet from the bathroom door with eyes shut and heart pounding, unsure what to think or feel. She barely noticed the continuing noises from within the bathroom. Eventually an overriding urge to leave the scene and the rather unsettling sounds broke through and she walked briskly back to her own room, dumped her bag by her bed and lay down facing the ceiling.

Just under half an hour later the bathroom door swung open, a puff of steam escaping like a puff of pent up breath. Mari stepped out first, with towel wrapped snugly about her and a dreamy smile on her face as though in a trance. It had been too long since she had felt Akko like that. She could tell Akko had felt the same, the brunette humming happily behind her as she tied up her own towel.

"I'll go ahead as I need to start getting lunch ready," Mari said and started off down the hallway, her bare feet padding on the polished wood, smooth but with the grip provided by the slightly greasy resin that gave it its protective coating. She was almost at Akko's door when a couple of alarm bells started ringing and shattered her inner peace rather abruptly.

For a start the dining room light was on. She was pretty sure it had been off before, unless Akko had switched it on at some point? Then she heard a faint clink of metal against china and a tapping as if fingers were punching buttons quite fast.

For a second she thought it was a burglar who was helping himself to a meal. Then a far more worrying possibility crossed her mind. But she had to be sure. She crept forwards and peered round into the dining room, and as she did her eyes widened with a mixture of shock and embarrassment.

It was Akko's mum. She was sitting at the far end of the dining table with her neat, straightened blonde hair spilling down about her shoulders and about her white shirt, top button undone. Before her on the table was a white plate of half eaten pasta and slightly to her right a small Apple notebook that she was tapping an entry into with her right hand. She glanced up and her green eyes met Mari's questioningly. She gave a half smile.

"Kumakura-san." It was a simple statement of confirmation but Mari almost withdrew and ran back to the Akko's bedroom.

_At this rate she'll realise. If she hasn't already. When did she come in? Did she hear us?_

"Yes," she queried. "We didn't expect you home so soon Oohashi-san. Did something happen?"

Akko's mum blinked and glanced away at the screen.

"Yes, the meeting fell through so I was able to head straight home."

An awkward pause followed with Akko's mum still looking at the screen but not typing. Then she looked back up at Mari.

"Can you and Akko join me when you're decent. I think we need to talk."

Mari's head spun and she felt weak at the knees. The recent hot water and steam, that had warmed her blood vessels, wasn't helping.

She managed to gasp out a "Yes, Oohashi-san" whilst aware her face was turning bright red.

She turned away from the dining room and felt the world spinning. She landed on something soft and warm and briefly the world went black.

Akko had been listening from a few feet behind Mari, having been ten seconds or so behind her on leaving the shower. Seeing the light in the dining room and Mari going to peer round had alerted her that something was wrong, the confirmation came from hearing her mother's voice.

_Oh God! Of all the days for her to come back early. Did she hear? She must have heard..._

She knew her mum had heard the moment she asked for Mari and her to come and talk once they were decent. The word 'decent' was a pretty big clue but equally so was the need for a face to face talk. It had to be serious for her mother to request that. The last time her mother had requested a talk had happened was when she'd returned home two nights running from primary school with bruises and had eventually admitted to being bullied. But that was over 6 years ago. The time before that was her father's death.

Akko's heart raced as she tried to work out a strategy, but those thoughts were replaced with mild panic as she saw Mari's legs tremble as she turned and noticed how flushed and panic stricken Mari's face looked. Then Mari's face went blank and she began toppling forwards. In a fluid motion Akko stepped forward and caught her, her arms running under Mari's armpits as Mari's head slumped against the right side of hers. If the situation wasn't so precarious she'd have been delighted at catching her loved one in the nick of time. But there were more pressing concerns for now.

"Mari?" She whispered but got no response. For a moment she tensed, worrying Mari had suffered a heart attack, but felt Mari's breath against the back of her neck and relaxed. Then she realised Mari's towel had slipped down her back as she had fallen and was behind her on the floor. And her mother was round the corner. Akko grabbed the towel with her right hand and held it against Mari's back, and slipped her left arm under Mari's knees.

_Thank goodness I'm used to helping move Sugi and Tamamin about after late nights and mixers_, Akko thought as she gave Mari a fire-mans lift to the door. She was able to press down on the door handle with the back of her left hand, pushing the door open with her left foot. Still nervous her mother would suddenly loom behind her like a haunting spectre, she dashed across the room, deposited Mari on her bed and scuttled back to close the door; gently pressing it shut to avoid the further embarrassment of having her mother think she was slamming it. Then she slid down against it with her back to it, gasping for breath.

_Ouch! _Akko glanced about the room trying to collect her thoughts. _Did she hear us? She must have heard us. _She grimaced and felt her stomach both growl and shift uncomfortably from a combination of nerves and a lack of food. _Oh yeah, we still haven't had tea. _

She giggled nervously and took a deep breath to calm herself. Then glanced up at the bed as Mari stirred and sat up. The next few seconds provided Akko with some entertainment at least. Mari seemed to be on autopilot as she glanced about the room, until all that had happened clicked with her. She glanced sharply at the door, at Akko and then down at her naked body, turned volcanic red and dived for her clothes on the floor.

Akko chortled as Mari grabbed her pants and whispered urgently,

"What happened to me?"

"You passed out," Akko whispered back, "so I caught you and brought you in here quickly."

Mari nodded as she began pulling on her knickers, then looked up at Akko and added,

"Akko, clothes."

"Hai. Kay, kay." Mari's sensitivity to being seen underdressed was definitely moe. But Akko conceded that it would probably help her think a bit clearer to be dressed, so she stood up and gathered together her uniform from the floor, and sat next to the kotatsu whilst sliding on her pants, knickers, skirt, bra and shirt. She toyed with the idea of putting on new clothes but as they were going to bed after tea there seemed little point. After slipping on the white buttoned shirt over her head, having left the buttons done up, Akko glanced at Mari who sat with her back to the bed in her casuals, with a more thoughtful look on her face.

Akko slumped by the kotatsu, facing the bed, with knees slightly bent out in front of her. It was a weird feeling knowing that a few metres away the person who had brought you up all your life had just heard you making love to your girlfriend.

_I should have e-mailed her about it at least_ _by now, if only to say we were dating. Baka! If I only I had had a bit more courage like Mari to have told her. I really don't know how she'll react either. Indifferent? Possibly. I don't think we'll be making out in bed tonight somehow. Shame. Just as well we did make out in the shower then._

Mari caught the small smile playing on Akko's face and gave her a questioning look.

Akko shrugged. "I was just thinking it was a good thing we made out in the shower, otherwise we wouldn't have got to do so at all."

Mari's eyebrows narrowed to incredulous; inside though she was rather pleased.

"Akko!...What are we going to do about your mum?"

Akko's expression became more serious, matching Mari's anxious gaze. But it was those questioning, trusting eyes that reminded her of Mari's own courage and it let a measure of serenity settle on her thoughts.

_After all I know what I must say and do. Only now it needs to be said. Whatever the consequences._

Akko let out a huff to remove some of the tension she felt and smiled at Mari, her hands relaxing and fingers spreading out across the wooden floor.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it. I know what needs to be said."

"Ah," Mari managed and her eyes sparkled. She moved forwards onto her knees and moved over to Akko with her legs either side of Akko's. Then her arms wrapped round Akko's back and her head pressed against the right of Akko's. "I love you so much Akko." The hug tightened. "We'll face her together of course."

Somehow the embarrassment and panic of earlier seemed rather unnecessary now. With every breath spent in Mari's arms Akko felt stronger and safer. _Even if my mother disowns me I'm not alone. I am with her. I really do think I'm understanding what Mari meant when she said she never knew how much happiness there is in just being held by the person one loves. Come to think of it when did my mother ever hold me like this?_

"Thanks Mari. Because of you I'll be fine." She gave Mari a light kiss to her left cheek, and removed her arms from Mari's back, planting them on the floor and raising herself up slightly. Mari got the drift and released her, shuffling back on her knees as Akko stood up and loosened her shoulder muscles with a quick jiggle. Then, before Mari could stand, she offered Mari her right hand,

"Shall we?" Akko's hair wasn't really dry and quite tousled as it fell about in curvy straggles. But then in Mari's eyes it made her look like a Prince who'd been caught in a rainstorm; a beautiful prince. Mari was pretty sure though that Akko wouldn't see it quite the same way, and that if she noticed she'd have spent the next thirty minutes with a mirror straightening her hair.

Mari nodded as she took Akko's right hand with her left and stood. Akko gave her a determined smile with eyebrows slanted down and lips a pressed a little tighter together, then walked over to the door with Mari following. She opened it and slipped out into the corridor. There was still the tapping of laptop keys but no longer the clinking of chopsticks on china, although the faint trace of warm food and spice still lingered in the corridor and prompted a gurgle from Akko's stomach.

Mari closed the bedroom door behind her and turned to follow Akko, who was already walking ahead into the dining area.

* * *

_*Sweatdrops* It's now 7 Chapters in and I think the story has just passed the 1 day mark XD As correctly guessed it t'was Akko's mum returning home and so the truth will out to the second of the three parents next Chapter - which should conclude the Saturday as well :)_


	8. Tension In Truth

**Tension in Truth**

In many ways everything was surreally normal as Akko entered the dining area. Her mum was sitting at the top right of the table, with the kitchen door behind her and tapping away at the laptop in front of her; the plate and food had gone but the faint smell of pasta and sauce hung in the air, tormenting her stomach.

Nonetheless it seemed surreal to Akko because although nothing was unusual, she felt uncomfortable and awkward. _It's like I'm suddenly just a child again._

Her mother glanced up.

"Akko, take a seat." She motioned to the two chairs on the other side of the table. Akko walked over to the one directly opposite her mum. As she did her mother glanced up again and said,

"and Kumakura-san." Akko's mum nodded, indicating the two chairs before her, a couple of feet apart. Akko slid into the one closest to the large, plant framed windows to her right, depicting a darkened, brooding sky. Mari nodded and stepped over to the second chair, moving it to within a foot of Akko's before sitting down. As she did she glanced at Akko and smiled, moving her right arm towards Akko and slipping the palm of her right hand into Akko's left.

Akko gave her what she hoped was an encouraging smile in return, soothed by the feeling of warmth within her hand.

_Ous! I'm not alone, not alone, not alone. I can do this. _

Her mother typed for a few more seconds, then her right arm made a couple of small jerky movements and stabbed at the keyboard. A couple more stabs followed, then she lifted up her right hand and brought the silver lid of the electronic notebook down; as her hand pulled the silver apple logo out of sight Akko still found herself briefly admiring the craftwork that had gone into her carefully manicured nails, shining in the light without a chip or scratch and yet avoiding the trap of looking gaudy. Still there was only so much one could do with ones nails when one was constantly working and very briefly Akko found herself wondering what shade of purple would work best if she manicured them.

For a moment Akko's mum seemed unsure what to do without her notebook open, her chestnut eyes glancing right and then left and down. After a few seconds, which felt like an eternity to the watching pair, she picked it up and set it down against the table leg. Her arms moved to her lap and her gaze fell on them, taking them in properly for the first time.

It was a searching glance that made Akko shift uncomfortably and nearly cross her legs, but she met it; be it having to clutch Mari's hand a little harder. Then, like the piercing beam of a lighthouse it revolved round to Mari. Mari blushed as she felt her body flood with adrenalin. Unused to Akko's mum she only met the gaze for a few seconds before glancing at Akko, her left leg crossed her right. Akko's own eyes met hers and she relaxed, letting out a deep breath she hadn't realised she was holding and looking back to meet Akko's mum eyes. This time she met them unflinchingly, although her legs remained crossed.

_It's really hard to get a read on what she's_ _thinking_, Mari thought as Akko's mum took a deep breath of her own, her gaze moving back to Akko. _She seems so grown up and important somehow. She's really different to my own mum. Not that my mums not grown up, but she's more homely and warm. _

"Akko, Kumakura-san." A small furrow of worry creased Mari's eyebrows, the tone with which her name was pronounced felt a little disapproving; Akko's seemed more neutral. Next to her Akko's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I trust you know what it is I want to talk to you about?"

Akko considered feigning ignorance on the slight chance that this was in fact a conversation about...Well anything else. But she'd resolved to let her mother know anyway and couldn't back out now. As Mari nodded next to her she said,

"Yes. It's about me and Mari being lovers, right?" Her voice didn't come out as strong as she'd have liked, but then she was fighting the icy churning of her stomach and her left leg was trembling slightly.

Her mother's gaze fastened onto her. She clung onto Mari's hand as though it was the most precious object in the world, and she feared it might vanish if she even eased her grip a little.

"Yes. How long has this been going on?"

Akko was unsure what she meant by 'this' and decided to go with the safer option, although the time-span of the two weren't that far apart. She found herself glancing away at the floor in guilt as she answered, not for being with Mari but because she had kept it a secret from her mum for so long.

" We've been dating since the last year of High School."

"I see." Her tone was definitely colder at that; Mari noticed her eyes become a little dimmer and narrow. "And when were you thinking of telling me about this Akko?" It was subtle but there was an undercurrent of betrayal and hurt beneath the business like tone.

"I...we..." Akko tried to look at her mother and answer but her calmness was far scarier than if she'd simply been angry. Akko trembled, staring at the table for inspiration.

_How can I be so outgoing and confident, yet before my mother feel so small? Why does she make me feel like this? I guess I've always depended on her till now but still..._She gulped.

"Oohashi-san, I'm sorry but it's my fault Akko hasn't told you before now. I wanted it to be a secret from everyone at first, because I was afraid. We only told a couple of friends last summer and my own mum only found out yesterday. We planned to tell you and my dad this week."

Akko's mum's right eyebrow arced at Mari's unexpected interruption.

"I see," she said and looked back to Akko. "Well?"

Akko had looked up when Mari spoke and her heart swelled with pride at her girlfriend's words. _Mari really is so incredibly brave. That she can press on and speak up so fearlessly in such a situation. Like that time she confessed her feelings again in the karaoke room. _

Akko met her mother's eyes this time and let the words she wanted to say flow.

"It's my fault as well; I was the same. Initially we didn't want to announce it as we weren't sure how it would work out, and then when it did..." She closed her eyes whilst breathing in and then opened them again, the fingers on her right hand trembling by the side of the chair. "I was, like Mari, too afraid to do the right thing. I meant to tell you a long time ago but kept putting it off. I'm sorry."

She was slightly surprised to find there were tears brimming on the rims of her eyes. She knew how much her mother valued at least keeping up to date with her life, even if only through the internet. And although she didn't fully understand the extent, she knew she had hurt her quite badly by not telling her sooner.

Akko's mum scratched the back of her head with her right hand and gazed at the ceiling.

_So that's where Akko gets it from, _Mari thought. _She's thinking and unsure what to do. _

The scratching slowed to a stop. Chestnut eyes fastened back on Akko.

"I am disappointed you kept it secret from me for so long Akko. I thought we had promised to be open about what was going on in our lives."

Akko shifted uncomfortably, seeing the pain in her mother's eyes.

" I'm sorry, mum." She said softly as a tear slipped down her cheek. Mari watched on, now the one holding Akko's hand rather than having her hand crushed by Akko. _I've never seen Akko like this; I know so little about Akko and Oohashi-sans relationship come to think of it. I really want to know more. _

Akko's mum's left hand drummed against her left leg whilst her right rested across her lap.

"Well it's not as though I don't understand why you've kept it secret, but can I at least hope to have a full explanation shortly?"

Akko nodded.

Akko's mum glanced between them.

"And whilst we're here I may as well ask. Have you considered what this will mean for you?"

"You know you'll be the target of hostility? Be unable to get top jobs? Bear the brunt of persecution and perverts? That you won't be able to have kids normally? Have you really considered the implications of what your relationship will mean?" She glanced at Mari and Akko alternatively as she spoke, her questions issued almost as a series of challenges; her tone cutting but not hostile.

Akko and Mari shared another glance.

"Not fully," Akko admitted. "Though we have considered that we'll have to cope with the negative consequences in the future. We know it will be tough. But I feel that I can manage, so long as I have Mari by my side."

"I'm the same," Mari added. "At least I don't feel I would be 'living' life now if I hadn't met Akko, or that I'd feel I was fully alive without her in my future."

"I suggest you consider them more carefully then, but if you still feel the same way then I guess there's no helping it."

"So you're okay with us...?" Akko sought to clarify; it felt important to at least have something to hold onto.

Her mother frowned and took a few long breaths, picturing a hundred different Akko's: From the small pink bundle of joy that she had endured so much pain bringing into the world; to the small, frizzy haired child captivated by the TV; to the flighty, fashion conscious schoolgirl with her wide, childish grins; to the women facing her now, mature and determined. Akko and Mari waited with growing tension.

"If you love each other then I have no problem with that. The fact you've been going out three years now would suggest you're happy, and Kumakura-san..."

Mari sat up a little straighter at the mention of her name.

"You seem to have been a good influence on my daughter these last few years, so thank you for that. Please continue to take good care of her." The tone was a little strained, but Mari felt the words were meant.

Mari blinked in surprise. Akko's mum rose.

"Now I've had a long day and I'm going to bed." She slid the chair under the table. "And I don't want to hear a single sound from your room tonight."

Mari and Akko nodded at once, both flushing slightly in embarrassment.

Akko's mum started walking round the table, stopped and walked back to scoop up her notebook that was resting against the table leg; her straight blonde hair spilling down the left side of her neck in a goldencascade and a small silver studded earring shining like a star in her right ear.

"That reminds me," she said as she stood up. "I'd like to speak to your mother at some point, Kumakura-san. Is that okay?"

Mari nodded before adding,

"Just please don't tell my dad yet. I'm going to tell him this Saturday."

Akko's mum nodded, walking back round the table in short swift strides; her feet set within a pair of sandal-slippers with white ribbon bands between her toes. "Of course."

She paused at the entrance to the corridor.

"Akko, can you mail me Mari's number tomorrow?"

Akko nodded,

"Yes."

She gave them one last look, noting their hands were still entwined.

"Okay...night."

"Night, mum," Akko managed and Mari also added a 'goodnight Oohashi-san'.

Then she was gone. A few seconds later they heard the catch on her door click, and then the door gently thudded shut.

There was a pause as both of them steadied their nerves; feeling rather like they had just stepped off a rollercoaster. Mari's right hand slipped from Akko's and she examined it, before shaking it about in front of her.

"Honestly Akko, if you grip me like that again it's the last time we hold hands."

Akko glanced at her angrily red hand, and looked crestfallen.

"Ah sorry Mari, I didn't realise. I was just so glad to have it there."

Mari got up and wrapped her arms about Akko's neck, bringing Akko's head against her chest.

"Baka, I was teasing you. I'm happy I could help you." She gave Akko a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the citrusy waft of her freshly washed hair. "I love you."

Akko pressed the left side of her head as close as possible against Mari's chest in response, resting against and upon Mari's soft, curving upper body. They stayed like that for a few minutes until Akko's stomach gave an almighty gurgle, thoroughly annoyed at being ignored for so long.

They laughed, with relief as well for the worst seemed to be over. Although what exactly their mothers were going to discuss over the phone still quietly worried them both, Mari more than Akko as Mari was additionally concerned that her dad might still find out. But for now overwhelming relief was the dominant, and hunger of course.

"I'll put the water on to boil," said Mari.

"Shall I help with the cooking?" Akko asked and Mari nodded. Not that it would be that much faster having Akko there, but after all that had happened it just felt better that she was there.

Neither spoke much in the kitchen as they sorted out the ingredients, cut up the vegetables and put pans onto boil; it didn't feel safe to discuss the conversation in any great depth until they returned to Akko's room. Dinner was cooked in twenty minutes and finished in fifteen, though Akko only took as long as Mari because she ate almost twice the amount. Then the plates and chopsticks were gathered up by Mari to the dishwasher to join Akko's mum's red stained plate from earlier. With the dishwasher half full, mainly filled by the two stainless steel pans, Mari slid it shut, whilst Akko got the powder, poured it into the plastic draw and hit the on switch. With a beep the small light changed from red to green and the machine rumbled into life.

"Shall we head?" Akko asked and Mari nodded, both had felt the impatience of the other to be back in Akko's room. Akko flicked out the lights in the kitchen and dining room on the way back, opened the door to her room and closed it firmly once Mari had entered and turned on the light.

Mari sat herself down on the edge of Akko's bed, in the middle; Akko flopped herself down to Mari's left, staring at the ceiling.

"Akko, I want to know more about your mother."

"Huh?"

"Watching you two today I realised how little I know about her, and your family. I want to know more about them all, because they're going to become my family too."

"Mari..." Akko closed her eyes and moved her left, which had been come to rest on her contented stomach, up and over her heart. "You're incredible you know?"

"Eh?"

"You're so brave and you always say the best of things. I'm afraid that if I look now I'm not going to be able to hold back."

"Eh? But your mother!" Akko snuck a glance at Mari's flapping arms and panicked look and grinned. Mari frowned. "Maybe I should sleep on the futon tonight.

"I was teasing Mari, honestly," Akko added hastily. "I can control myself, don't worry." She chuckled. "Well for tonight at least."

"You know you really sound like a horny guy sometimes Akko," Mari said trying to sound disapproving.

Akko entwined her right hand with Mari's left,

"Only around you Mari, only with you."

Mari huffed, trying not to look like she was pleased.

"Anyway, shall we sleep on it tonight and go somewhere to talk tomorrow?" Akko added. "The pasta made me sleepy." Mari nodded, Akko's words making her conscious of just how drained she felt and how heavy her eyelids were.

"Go where?" She asked, removing her dress and undergarments; folding them into a neat pile before walking over to the wardrobe under Akko's admiring gaze.

Akko returned to staring at the ceiling, with her right foot tapping against the white, plastic board, running horizontally along the bottom of her bed.

"I don't know. Somewhere far away if the weather's good. Maybe we could head out your way, rent a bike and head out into the countryside? I feel like going somewhere pleasant."

"Um." Mari slipped on a pink pair of Akko's pyjamas, patterned with silver vines, and tossed Akko a pair from the wardrobe. The top landed next to Akko's head, with a silky blue sleeve trailing over Akko's face, which Akko brushed off with her left hand. "That sounds nice."

"Mmm, sorted then," Akko replied sleepily, slipping out of her trousers and shirt, with bra and pants following. Then she pulled on the silk blue bottoms, patterned with pink orchids, and buttoned up her pyjama top with the three navy, plastic togs. By the time she was done, Mari was on standby by the light switch.

"Ready?"

Akko nodded and the room was plunged into darkness, only lit by the faint city luminescence creeping high enough to slip in through Akko's window and between the gaps in the light pink curtains, accompanied by a faint warm breeze. Akko crept up to the two pillows at the top of her bed; it was a humid night so the cover wasn't really needed. The bed creaked as Mari crawled up and over as well. Seconds later her face was inches from Akko's with lids already half shut. She yawned and stretched.

"Night, Akko. Well done on standing up to your mother." Akko chuckled, feeling her own lids closing.

"Well that's two down and one to go on the parent front, although I still have to file a report with mine."

"I can read it right?"

Akko nodded.

"So long as you roll over."

Mari's eyes opened in puzzlement.

"Why?"

"You'll see."

Mari's right eyebrow flickered as she tried to guess the reason, but she rolled over anyway.

Akko's arms enveloped her and Akko snuggled up behind her, resting her right cheek on Mari's left with her legs running parallel. Mari gasped at the warmth spreading down her back and across her chest, her head stretching back.

"If we can't do anything tonight I want to at least be able to hold you close," Akko whispered.

"Thanks," Mari whispered sleepily, and her body shook gently with a chuckle of happiness before she fell asleep, a blissful smile on her face. It took Akko a little longer to get to sleep as her mind kept trying to work out what to say in the email to her mother, but eventually fatigue got the better of her too and she drifted into the realm of the subconscious.

* * *

_And that concludes the Saturday Arc :) There might be a slight gap between Chpt 8 and 9 whilst I deal with interviews and tying up a few other projects but will definitely continue onto the Sunday Arc, covering Mari and Akko's trip out to the countryside, and beyond. As ever a huge thanks for all the reviews and support, it really makes me happy to know its appreciated :D_


	9. Sunday Slumber

**Sunday Slumber**

Akko stirred as her bleary vision took in the morning light streaming through her opaque, rose curtains; a cooler breeze moving them this morning and causing the light to ripple across Akko's bed in fluid snaking shapes.

Akko hovered on the cusp of fully waking for a while, enjoying the mesmeric way the curtain stirred and fluttered, the softness of the mattress, plumpness of the pillow her body had sunk in and the warmth encasing her right hand.

That warmth drew her out of her slumber to wakefulness as she twisted her neck right. Mari's left hand had slipped across hers; Mari's fingers gently wrapped around her palm. The hold was light, but it allowed Akko to feel Mari's slow and steady heartbeat as her lovers blood pulsed gently against the skin of her hand.

A smile played its way across Akko's face as her gaze moved up from their hands to Mari's sleeping face, over her chest that rose and fell in time with the opening of her lips to her long, gleaming raven hair spilling across the pillow and curling up and over her left shoulder. Akko shifted her weight onto her right arm and angled herself towards Mari.

_These emotions I'm feeling right now...it's hard to describe them. To have Mari sleeping next to me, to know she loves me and she is mine. _

Embarrassingly she could feel herself tearing up and without thinking her hand clutched Mari's a little tighter. Mari's pulse quickened and her eyes flickered open. As though sensing Akko's watching gaze her head twisted left and her hazel eyes sought and found Akko's. On meeting them Mari's mouth twitched up at the edges and she murmured drowsily,

"Mornin' Akko."

Akko grinned. Then Mari noticed the glistening tears framing the edge of her partner's eyes and her own widened in concern.

Akko gave Mari's hand a comforting squeeze.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking how happy I was to be here with you."

It sounded a little embarrassing after she said it, and feeling her face heat up and right arm start to ache from the weight Akko broke eye contact and rolled back onto her back.

She felt the bed shift as Mari moved next to her, Mari's left hand swivelling against her right and pressing down a little harder. Then the whitewashed ceiling vanished, replaced by Mari's chocolate eyes, and untamed night hair framing her pale face. Akko swallowed in surprise, the curtain rustling in a warmer gust of air to her left; the air infused with a hint of calming jasmine from a neighbouring balcony.

"Me too," Mari whispered as she bent down and closed the gap between them. Akko felt the soft, familiar press of Mari's lips against her own and slipped effortlessly into the kiss; her right arm sliding over the back of Mari's shoulders and her hand creasing Mari's silken kinimo as it pressed itself closer to the warmth of her skin.

_This is heaven - here with Mari._

When they parted Mari buried her head down to the right of Akko's, her arms slipping under Akko and wrapping undermeath; the soft curves of her body resting comfortably against Akko's. They remained like that in silence, enjoying the pleasent scented breeze running over them whilst Akko stroked Mari's hair smoothly with her left hand.

_It really does need some styling, but a comb first. Would it look better layered or highlighted? Actually if Mari's going for a job would highlights be a good idea? Ah that's right! I need to talk with her about that. But later. It's too pleasant to bring up something so boring right now. Well not boring as such but deep I guess. But anyway hair wise I should probably play it safe for now, although I think layering the back in steps would look good. _

The stroking eventually slowed as Akko worked out the last few details of Mari's new hairstyle. Letting her left arm fall to her side, Akko gave Mari a peck on the cheek. Well she aimed for the cheek, but it ended up being more like eye level given where Mari's head was buried.

"What's the time Mari?"

Mari shifted against Akko and looked up to the far wall.

"Nine thirty four," she said, her arms unwrapping from under Akko and her body spinning round so that she was laying on her back next to Akko, before easing herself round to sit up staright on the edge of Akko's bed.

"Do you reckon your mother's up yet?"

"Probably," Akko said. "She's usually an early riser, but she may have already gone somewhere." As an afterthought she added,

"Why?"

Mari had got up, stretching and then yawning. She shook her head as her body relaxed.

"I'm not scared." She turned and gave Akko a warm smile. "Just curious. After all I do want to become good friends with my future mother in law." Then she padded over the wooden floor to the wardrobe and grabbed a cream towel from the top shelf.

"I'm gonna go for a shower, okay?"

Akko had sat up, knees bent out in front of her, and nodded, ading with a michevious grin,

"Kay. Just to warn you, I'll be attacking your hair on your return."

_I don't need to cut off much anyway and it'll be easier to style when wet._

Mari giggled and pulled the door open, before stepping cautiously into the corridor and smoothly closing the door behind her.

_She might say she's not scared but she still looked both ways before stepping out. I can understand though, even I'm still a little apprehensive; although knowing my mum she'll vanish back to the world of email. _

Akko hugged her knees tight against her stomach as a more pleasant thought surfaced.

_Kyahhh! She said mother in law. So bold! So..._

These moments were rarer now as they became more used to the idea of being together, but every now and then a rush of youthful exhilaration still coursed through Akko from a whispered phrase or gentle touch. Grabbing her pillow she hugged it to stop the joy exploding and rolled about on the bed chuckling and kicking her legs about in joyful exuberence, before collapsing onto her back and shaking the rest out in a fit of giggles.

_Life is amazing! She is amazing! May God grant it that we are never pulled apart..._

* * *

_Apologies for the delay - have had interviews which have recently ended so am back to starting some writing :) Have missed it really and ecspecially pairings as sweet as these two :D And so Day 2 (well 3 if one includes Friday evening) begins! _


	10. An Unwelcome Visitor

**An Unwelcome Visitor**

_**Dear Mum...**_

Akko backspaced. Way too formal even if it was an important email.

_**Mum, **_

_**I'm sorry I didn't share this part of my life with you before. For a long time it was so uncertain I didn't feel able, and once it became certain I was scared how the people closest to me would react. **_

Akko tapped the white plastic shelf, which her black keyboard rested on, lightly with her middle right finger; her legs crossed and tucked beneath the angular wooden chair. Typing this was going to be hard. It reminded her of the time she had written Mari that Christmas note; she had practically filled her wastepaper basket with thrown out drafts.

_At least this time it won't use up paper. I guess I should start at the beginning so to speak._

_**It all started several years ago when Mari and I found ourselves in the same class. For a long time I found myself wondering about her. She was so quiet and diligent. Different to all my jokey Middle School friends, who stopped contacting me when I reached High School. Different to Sugi and Tamamin as well who were fun to be around but who I didn't feel close too. **_

_**As I watched her I noticed she often seemed to be alone and wanted to help her, wanted to see if I could improve her looks and make her cuter, wanted to see if she could be the special friend I had been searching for. Eventually I mustered up the courage to talk to her.**_

Akko paused, having reeled off a couple of paragraphs. Her head began to swim with the picture of the classroom that day. The clatter of chairs as the teacher dismissed the class, the last soundings of the schoolbell dashing away up the hall. What had made her call out to Mari that day of all days?

Certainly that day Mari had been slower at packing her stuff away and the class had emptied more than usual when she had got up to leave, including Sugi and Tamamin who had other plans after school (a boyfriend and some sort of drama event). And that day Mari also took the route that passed by my desk.

Usually she'd head to the front by one of the main corridors between the desks and clean the board, or simply head home. But that day a lot of the desks had cleared making it easier for Mari to head straight for the door through the gaps between the empty desks, and as we had simply had an English exam there was nothing to rub off the board.

Akko recalled how her heart rate had quickened when she realised Mari was heading her way, her throat tightening to the point where she was afraid Mari would simply pass by without her saying a word.

_It was the loneliness in her face, well her whole posture that made me blurt out her name. I could relate to that in a way, although for me it was a little different as I was always surrounded by 'friends'. What we were both searching for though was a soulmate. And even if the chance was small it was a chance. A chance for us both to be happier. _

_But at the time I was fearful. I was so different to her. What if she preferred things the way they were? What if I was simply an irritation to her? I wasn't smart like Mari. I didn't take class duties or studies as seriously. Would she hate me? But I had to try, and so I blurted those life changing words, a little louder than I intended: Mari-chan!_

_I decided on chan because I didn't want there to be distance between us. I wasn't going to go with a surname. I wanted my intentions to be clear from the start. Perhaps having never spoken it was a bit odd. But I don't really think things through sometimes. I guess I'm just a bit too impulsive! After all I also asked her to call me Akko straight off._

Mari's feet padding on the floor behind brought Akko back to earth, and she realised she'd been blankly staring at the screen for several minutes without typing.

_Shoot! At this rate it's going to take forever!_

Behind her Mari's towel hit the floor with a light thud as Mari pulled on her clothes from the day before. Akko was ever so tempted to look round but fought against it. Mari tended to be oddly protective of herself when getting changed. There was plenty of time to admire Mari's figure later anyway, so she concentrated on the screen and trying to type some more, but her mind wouldn't settle now: Mixed thoughts of Mari changing and their plans for the day crowding out deeper thought. With a sigh she hit the save button as Mari stepped across the room, dumped her damp towel into the laundry hamper to Akko's left and then came to stand behind her.

Mari placed her hands on Akko's shoulders and planted a light kiss on Akko's head,

"What are you up to?"

"I'm writing a mail to my mum. It's gonna take ages to finish."

The silence from behind suggested Mari was already reading it. Akko's eyes widened. _Do I really want Mari reading this? _Akko felt herself tensing.

"Ah, I'm sorry. You're right I shouldn't. It's between you and your mum."

The hands lifted from her shoulders and Mari padded over to the door.

"I'm going to go make breakfast. Is miso soup and fruit all-right?"

Akko nodded and shifted to face Mari.

"Say Mari, when we first met what did you think of me?"

Mari paused with a hand on the door handle, glancing at Akko and then the ceiling in thought.

_She has a habit of looking away and taking her time when asked deeper questions, but I love that about her because it shows she's taking it seriously._

"Beautiful but odd, definitely odd." Mari replied with a small smile.

Akko's eyebrows rose.

Mari giggled. "Well you called me by my first name out of the blue, knew I'd only missed one English class and laughed at me for several minutes, dragged me to have food and obsessed about my hair. Until then the only person who had really spent time with me was Mayu-chan who was as silent as a mouse. I was a little overwhelmed. " She looked a more sombre as she added, "you know I almost didn't meet you the next day. I was going to make up some sort of excuse as I didn't have much to wear and thought you'd look down on me. But then I remembered what you said about my hair being a waste..." Mari smiled, and her eyes sparkled, "I'm so glad I took the chance and went now."

Akko couldn't hold herself back, crossing the room and hugging Mari tightly. The thought that her mother may still be about and the lateness of the day kept her from going further, so she simply held Mari in a warm embrace for a few minutes.

"Me too," she whispered.

_**BzzzzzBzzzzzBzzzzzz**_

The pair sprung apart.

"What's that!" Mari exclaimed in alarm, eyes darting about the room.

A shadow jerked and bounced behind the drifting curtains. Akko and Mari watched transfixed as a gust sent the curtain billowing and released the creature into the room.

A small body, streaked yellow and black with a curved barb attached, shot into the centre of the room buzzing loudly, making Mari cry out in alarm. Akko immediately assumed a defensive position in front of her, arms outstretched, as Mari asked nervously,

"Is it a hornet?"

"You go get breakfast Mari. I'll take care of it!"

The hornet headed for the computer screen and bumped against it before darting back towards the pair

Mari nodded and shot out of the room in record time, closing the door shut firmly behind her.

_I can't stand hornets, ever since that one that stung me in the park when I was little._

It had taken two hours to stop her crying and a fair amount of ice cream, so her mother said at any rate; all Mari could remember was the buzzing as she stood in a golden sea of sand, the prickling on the back of her neck and the pain. She shivered and headed for the kitchen. _I hope Akko's_ _going to be okay, she's so brave._

She paused at the entrance to the dining room and glanced at her watch. It was ten to ten already. She debated knocking on Akko's mum's door and asking if she wanted breakfast. She shouldn't still be sleeping surely? But if she was? No, it would be rude not to offer her breakfast given it was her house. Mari walked back up the corridor and knocked twice on Akko's mum's door.

She waited a few moments before taking a calming breath and opening the door. The door slid inwards silently, without resistance.

The room was tidy, lit by sunlight streaming through two, floor to ceiling, sliding windows on the opposite wall and a little to her right. Directly opposite Mari was a skeletal bookcase, with about 5 shelves of books and DVD's; a few near the bottom were the large thick kind that were used once in a blue moon as reference material, the rest looked like a haphazard collection of films and light novels. The room was a little wider than Akko's and longer, as the bathroom didn't cut it off at the end. Mari peered right to see a single bed running against the near wall with covers neatly folded and empty. A bedside table beyond carried a cream lamp and a jumble of earrings and lipsticks, and past that Mari could see the far side of the room was not dissimilar in style to Akko's. There was a wall mirror above a sink in the far right corner, and then to the left, towards the window, was a laundry basket, writing desk and in the far left corner a giant green fern. The fern fanned out into the room from a rounded clay pot, glowing an emerald green in the sunlight that dashed the room with squares of gold.

She only spent a few seconds glancing around the room to confirm it was empty. Any more and she would have felt like she was prying. With a small sigh of relief she stepped out and carefully closed the door.

_It's so silly. Why am I so scared? It doesn't make any sense. _

Shaking her head she started heading for the kitchen. There was a thump from Akko's room followed by a loud exclamation of 'Damn!' and a loud angry buzzing.

Mari thought of checking if Akko was all right, but as there hadn't been any particularly disturbing noises and the hornet was clearly still alive she decided to just let Akko get on with it.

She had only made it into the living room when a series of enthusiastically delivered thumps echoed through the house followed by a jubilant exclamation of triumph from their room.

Mari grinned and continued on around the glowing table and into the kitchen to make breakfast.

_It sounded like she was beating a bear to death rather than squishing an insect! But it does sum her up well: Wildly enthusiastic but totally reliable when it matters. _She gave the kitchen a nervous once round glance, hornets still fresh on her mind, but it seemed the kitchen was free of them; there weren't any windows open for them to enter by anyway. Chuckling at the silliness of her fear she headed for the fridge; she had an important task to see to as well – the satisfying of Akko's ever demanding stomach.

* * *

_A/N Everytime I start a Chapter for this story I think I'll get to point X this time, and then Mari and Akko fill the space before X and I never do. They might actually leave Akko's house next Chapter but given the way things are going I'm hesitant to promise it :) _

_As always thanks for the great support from everyone reading and reviewing this story, it makes me really happy to know people are enjoying it or finding ways to make it even better._


	11. Preparations

**Preparations**

Akko was sitting at the table when Mari brought in breakfast, tapping away at the keys of her laptop that sat a few inches to her right. She stopped as Mari came out with two bowls of steamed rice.

"Do you want any help, Mari?"

Mari slid one bowl across to her and placed the other on the table nearest the kitchen door, then shook her head.

"No I'm fine." She headed back into the kitchen. "Have you found anywhere good to go?"

Akko stopped typing and moved the mouse across the screen, clicking on one of the rectangles at the bottom to open up another window.

"Not yet, I was thinking maybe one of the parks...perhaps the one near Hanzomon Station? It shouldn't take too long to get there."

There was a clatter from the kitchen and then Mari returned with a white tray supporting two bowls of miso soup, two of natto, pickles and two glass beakers of orange juice.

"Sounds good," Mari said as she slipped the white enamel tray into the centre of the polished wooden table. "But I'd like to stop by my house first to change outfits and drop off the stuff we got yesterday."

"Ah sure. Well that shouldn't be too much of a detour."

The filling smell of the warm pasta, rice and miso infused within the rolling steam that billowed from the food made Akko gulp and pull away from the dirt streaked laptop screen. Clicking a few windows out of existence she shut the lid to a soft click and pushed it away to her right; moving her share of the food in small black porcelain bowls before her then picking up a pair of black chopsticks.

"Ah Mari this looks great!" Akko exclaimed as her gaze flickered over the fluffy white rice, bright red and green pickles and the golden natto.

Mari blushed faintly and a her cheeks pulled her lips upwards to a small smile as she glanced back across at Akko.

"Thanks," she said softly; something of a leap from the time when she'd blush heavily at a compliment and just about stammer a thank you: Akko kind of missed that, whilst at the same time loving seeing Mari grow stronger. There was no doubt about Mari's happiness at the compliment , written within her eyes, and that warmed Akko's insides far more than the food could ever hope to achieve.

After that they ate in silence. Akko found it hard to multitask when it came to good food and Mari was quite content to observe Akko enjoying herself eating her food. Mari would almost go as far as to say that besides their more intimate moments it was the part of the day she most enjoyed...or perhaps it was holding hands when they walked; there were so many ways of communicating what one was thinking when holding hands...

With breakfast over Mari washed up, with Akko's help as Akko insisted she couldn't let Mari do it alone in Akko's own home. As Mari handed Akko a bowl and Akko dried them with a white teacloth, patterned with square cotton bumps and green line borders, Mari asked,

"Where do you think your mum went Akko?"

Akko shrugged.

"No idea. Could be work or meeting up with a friend." Akko glanced left at Mari. "Why?"

Mari blinked, scooping up another bowl and handing it to Akko to remove the growths of bubbling soap suds clinging to its sides.

"I thought it would be a good chance to get to know her better before we left...although I'm still a bit nervous about her knowing about us."

Akko let out something of a cross between a laugh and a snort and there was a slight barb behind her next answer.

"She's not the easiest person to know."

"Mmmm."

Mari didn't press further; it was too early to pry into something so deep and probably uncomfortable for Akko. They finished off the washing within a few minutes and then they both headed back to the bedroom to collect their stuff, before walking out into the hallway, Mari carrying the couple of bags with new outfits. Doing the traditional evening fashion show after the clothes buying, that they had planned on, had slipped their mind. _Something for tonight then, although doing it with Akko is when it's really fun. Well I'm sure we can go again before the height of Summer. Hopefully anyway. _Her father sitting as a Judge from within his comfortable lounge chair with a heavy frown on his face clouded her mind and she lost her stride for a split second as she descended the twisting staircase leading out of Akko's block.

Akko slowed, concerned. "Are you okay Mari?"

Mari nodded, the shadowy image fading. _No, I am __**sure**__ we can. And that we will be together forever. Well this lifetime at least. I will work to make it happen and I know Akko is too. _

They headed out into the sunlit parking lot, where a few cars were scattered, a couple sparkling with fresh cleanliness in the sunlight. It was quieter than usual, being a Sunday in the mid morning zone between the early risers and those who would catch up on sleep till mid-day, but there were still a couple of families heading out and a group of five young teenagers in casual clothes joking about.

There were plenty of seats on the train heading to Mari's house, so they picked a couple of red cushioned seats on the opposite side of the train a few places down from the door; Mari to the left of Akko. The seats either side were free but Mari still chose to dump her paper bags down on the floor in front of her. The train was on one of the older lines so bumped and rattled occasionally but still made good time, sunlight pushing through the many small square windows behind them and spreading their shadows over the dusty floor and crumpled, spidery kanji covered newspaper clinging to the seat opposite. Further down the carriage, to their right, a couple of girls sat in dresses with their mother and a wizened old man in a faded pin-striped suit was slumped on his seat staring at the floor morosely.

Neither group attracted much attention, aside from once when the two young girls began singing some slightly crazy children's song for a few minutes.

"Do you think we were once like that?" Akko whispered to Mari as they watched the pair, who were oblivious to their mothers tired glances and the deepening weight that settling on the old man's shoulders.

Mari gave the question a moment of thought, her head inclining to the left to get a better look at the girls.

"I don't think I was ever very loud...except when my brother annoyed me or my parents upset me. I was reading books mostly back then."

The train slowed to a stop at another station, and with a snake like hiss the doors slid open. A couple got on the train, the guy wearing a leather jacket and the girl, whose hand he was holding, a grey cotton fleece and white mittens; although sunny outside the air was still fresh. Akko and Mari spared them a glance before returning their gaze back to the out of tune kids drumming their feets against the side of the train. The train doors thumped shut with another angry hiss.

"How about you Akko? I imagine you were more like them." Mari said.

"Ahahaha, nah I wasn't really. I kept myself to myself as well, though I was usually watching TV and reading magazines. It was only at school that I became more outgoing and able to start making friends."

For some reason the way Akko said 'friends' sounded off to Mari. _Presumably this was pre Sugi and Tamamin. I don't recall Akko mentioning any such friends to be honest. _

"I guess we both grew up kind of quickly," Akko added as the train picked up speed.

"Yeah," Mari sighed. _I wonder if we really missed out on our childhood. Those kids seem to be having so much fun and are so carefree...was I ever like that? _

Mari gasped and then fought Akko's hand that had wrapped round her back and started tickling her mercilessly.

"Ahahahaha! Stop Akko!" Akko was grinning.

"We still have plenty of time to enjoy life Mari. Just because we're growing older doesn't mean we can't go back occasionally and have fun like that."

"Ahaha. I...Ah..I get it Akko but please stop!"

Akko's left hand ceased it's tormenting, resting flat against Mari's side and encouraging Mari to lean against her, which Mari did. As she stared out at the passing buildings, cars and isolated sprouting trees, with her head on Akko's shoulder she whispered just loud enough for Akko to hear.

"With you I believe that's possible." Maybe it was her imagination but it sounded like Akko's breath caught a fraction before and she smiled, drifting into a daydream.

* * *

It wasn't a big shrine by any means, in fact it was comparatively small. Set on a rectangular island surrounded by a river of roads and hidden from view by a fence of evergreens trees, the shrine sat at ground level. A circular carp pool with a candlestick fountain stood before the white, and pale yellow shrine building interspersed with dark wooden beams.

A light breeze blew down the entranceway, sending a milk pocky wrapper, discarded by freckle faced kid a few days before, dancing across the cobbled courtyard and into a blue rose bush. A couple of people sat on the stone benches scattered about the edge of the circular courtyard, one staring at the central fountain and another at his trainers. A panel at the front of the shrine slid open and a blonde haired women stepped out and made her way down the three steps leading to the entrance; her polished, high heeled shoes clipping their way around the fountain towards the exit corridor.

This was where her mother had taken her regularly when she was little. Here they burnt incense and kneeled to think and seek guidance from the guardian spirit of their family. She didn't believe in such nonsense and she wasn't sure her mother did. But it was undoubtedly a comforting place and did help her when considering how best to act in difficult times. She was certain such times were not too far ahead, not so much for her but her daughter. She wouldn't stand in the way of her happiness but that would require strength of her own. Her mind clear and calm she strode out beneath the purple , wood flecked gateway into a quiet residential road.

When she got back home she'd have to find the Kumakuras' phone number.

* * *

_A/N: Hi all - sorry for the long wait. I was struck down with a combination of writer's block and a job promotion, but have finally managed to get another Chapter out and will hopefully have another out before the New Year. Thanks for all the support so far and wish you all a Festive Yule/XMas! XD_


	12. Surface Greetings

**Surface Greetings**

The day was shaping up nicely; a strong breeze sending small clouds streaming across the sky like roaming flocks of sheep, under the blinding spotlight of the sun.

The smell of barbecued chicken and grilled fish rode upon one such gust, momentarily tantalising the senses of the two girls turning the corner of the road separating Blocks 8 and 9.

Mari's house was number 6 on Block 8, though as all the houses on Block 8 had been built at the same time it could as easily been a 1 or an 8. The houses were all average sized, quite spacious and tended to be filled with middle class city workers raising families. Mari's family had moved there a little under twenty years ago when Mari's mum became pregnant and gave up her job as a primary school teacher.

Mari and Akko had been chatting animatedly from the station about plans for lunch and what they could do when they got to Hibiya Park. However as they drew closer to Mari's house Akko noticed Mari became quieter and her responses shorter.

Although she'd readily admit to being the denser of the two when it came to reading peoples feelings Akko was pretty confident she knew the reason for this: _It's the first time I'll be arriving at her house when her mum knows about us. She's probably worrying about us meeting._

As they turned about the brick walled corner into Mari's road Akko seized upon a lull in the conversation.

"I can wait outside if you want whilst you get your stuff?"

_Although it does feel a bit like hiding and I hate hiding. Damn this world and its prejudices!_

Mari gave her a surprised glance and her brow softened as though Akko's words had stolen away the indecision furrowing it. She chuckled softly,

"No, come inside. I was over thinking things. The time for hiding things from my family is coming to an end anyway."

Akko nodded and grinned at her, slipping her left hand back into Mari's and giving Mari's slender right a gentle squeeze; feeling the paper handles of one of the bag Mari was holding twist and crumple between their hands. Mari's house was only a few metres away now and Akko could already make out the sloping roof and see the whitewashed wall separating the drive from the clean swept pavement; in the background Akko noticed a dirty white Honda Van that had been heading towards them signal, turn and accelerate behind the house with a distant growling.

"I love you Akko," Mari almost whispered with a blush. "Whatever happens that will never change."

How Akko stopped herself grabbing Mari into a hug and kissing her then and there she wasn't sure. _One day it's gonna happen in public for sure. _

Instead her smile widened and she squeezed Mari's hand, again, in reassurance.

"Don't worry Mari. I'll always be here for you," she affirmed.

Then they were turning and walking up the concrete drive, around the silver Toyota of Mari's dad, and into the porch overhang. There Mari pressed a grey indented button into its black rectangular bed and from within the house a sharp ring echoed back.

As Akko waited for the door to open she glanced right to the side of the house where the garage door stood raised and a rasping sound rang out from around the corner. Presumably Mari's dad was engaging in a spot of home DIY.

Then footsteps echoed off porch tiles and she felt Mari's right hand stiffen and so she began to release her own hand, but Mari's stretched out again and clutched hers tighter than before. Their eyes met for a split second and mirrored each others determination. Then their glances shot forward to the cream cardigan clad figure of Mari's mum standing tall before them.

"I'm just stopping by briefly before we head to Hibiya, "Mari informed her mum. Her mum nodded as her glance jumped between them, rested a short time on Akko, their joined hands and then Akko again, all with a unreadable, calm face. Then a small, gentle smile crept across her face.

"Okay. Oohashi-san do you want to wait inside?" Akko didn't have a clue what Mari's mum actually felt towards her from her expression which was pleasant enough. She bowed her head slightly,

"Thank you Mrs Kumakura-san," and allowed Mari to lead her inside the dimmer porch area. Their hands parted as Mari turned to close the varnished wood door and muffle the hammering from the garage. Akko removed her trainers and took care to place them neatly to her left amongst the family of the Kumakura's shoes; on entering Mari's house the porch extended to the left where there were coat hooks and a small rectangular window facing onto the sloping front yard.

Akko decided against removing her coat as she didn't anticipate them being there long. Mari slipped her own shoes off as Akko glanced about at the semi-familiar surroundings.

_It's been too long since I was last here, the place where Mari grew up. _

"I shouldn't be too long okay," Mari said from the foot of the stairs as Akko stepped onto the cream carpeted hallway, then she ascended out of sight with paper bags rustling against the stair banister.

Akko debated whether to wait in the hall, but having been invited in it seemed a little rude so she made her way down the white walled corridor, past a door on the left to what was presumably a storage cupboard, then the stairway, before turning right into the kitchen come dining room.

Mari's mum was seated at the rectangular table, to Akko's right and facing the living room, with a ceramic brown and cream flecked cup steaming before her and a chunky paperback book next to it; a thin golden tasselled bookmark poking out of the top. Behind her the kettle bubbled to the boil.

"Do you want some tea while you're waiting Oohashi-san?" Mari's mum asked; she was still smiling but the smile didn't seem to reach her eyes.

Akko forced a smile back and on instinct decided to accept, be it a part of her wanted to leave as fast as possible. _I'm not going to run from this. She's to be my future mother in law of sorts. _

"Yes thank you."

Mari's mum nodded and rose, her chair squeaking against the linoleum, then spun round to the vapour breathing kettle.

Akko moved to the table and took a seat opposite to where Mari's mum had been sitting.

_How long since I was last here? I vaguely remember eating here once or twice before in the past, but can't recall exactly when now. The last time must have been last year..._

She glanced at Mari's mum pouring hot water into a cup. She was beautiful, with the same well kept smooth dark hair as Mari. _This will be Mari when she's older; they say your parents are a guide to how you'll look when older. So Mari will be beautiful like her mum...Ummm...Wait! Does that mean I find Mari's mum attractive!_

Akko switched her attention to the book on the table to escape that rather bizarre thought. It appeared to be a book written by a famous chef given the smiling black haired women on the front was stirring the contents of a jet black wok, and reading upside down she could make out the word 'Recipe' on the front.

A strong, careworn hand slid over a second brown and cream flecked ceramic beaker filled with a light green liquid, residue stirring uneasily about the bottom.

"Ah, thanks!" Akko exclaimed happily.

"No problem," Mari's mum replied as she slid back into the seat opposite.

Silence followed. Akko found herself tensing up slightly and her gaze shifting to the right and then the cup. She picked it up and took a sip to calm herself.

A variety of expressions crossed Mari's mum's face as Akko picked up the tea and began to drink it; a number of questions forming on her lips and then retreating like the tide to be left unsaid. Now wasn't the time to have an in depth talk. Finally she asked,

"Are you able to join us for tea next Saturday, Oohashi-san?"

Akko had just put down her cup and glanced up at the tilted head of the woman opposite, whose hands were under the table and expression poker faced: The general nature of the question, the warm soothing tea down her throat and absence of hostility caused her to relax a little.

"Ah, yes. I'm grateful for you inviting me over."

_Mari did mention me coming over next Saturday briefly, that's when we're supposed to tell her dad right...I can't remember if my work is Saturday afternoon but if so I can always switch shifts. _

"Good. We'll eat at 6.30 so if you could aim to get here a bit before that, that would be appreciated. Do you have any foods you can't eat?"

Akko paused with her cup held halfway up to her mouth. There were a few foods she didn't like but none that she could recall being unable to eat. She prided herself on the fact that she wasn't a fussy eater. She shook her head.

"No, I can't think of any."

"Good." Mari's mum nodded as her left hand slid onto the book, fingers lightly tapping its cover and looking thoughtful. "I might well cook an oden then, if that sounds okay?"

Akko let another mouthful of warm tea circle her mouth, nodding in response as she swallowed.

"Okay..." There was another long pause during which Akko took another mouthful of green tea. The beaker wasn't large, fitting snugly within the palm of her hand, and the tea was already three quarters drunk.

"You're currently on a Vocational Course at the minute I understand?"

Akko glanced up again at Mari's mum and nodded, a tightness again running through her shoulders and legs. _Where is this going?_

"And that ends this time next year?"

She nodded again; clearly Mari had kept her mum informed at least to this extent.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do afterwards?"

Akko finished off the tea, in the background she could hear Mari's familiar footsteps descending to the landing. _Why are parents always so concerned over future careers? Not that it's necessarily wrong._

"I want to be hairdresser, so I'll need to start looking into firms to work for next year." There was no need for further detail; well she hadn't really given much thought to the whereabouts of work post the vocational course.

Mari's mum nodded and asked no further questions, she too had probably heard Mari's approach. From the living room the sound of a door banging shut blended in with Mari's quick steps.

Mari appeared in the doorway wearing a smooth mauve dress with a short cut, unbuttoned denim jacket enveloping her upper body; she carried a white hat under her left arm and a shiny black handbag hung from her right shoulder.

"Sorry for the wait," she said, only a single glance between Akko and her mum betraying a certain anxiety as to how things were going. A casual grin from Akko reassured her as she moved towards the seat next to Akko.

Her mum nodded a greeting,

"Do you want a cup of tea Mari?"

Mari shook her head,

"I'm fine,"

"I'd like one."

Mari and Akko's heads turned to see Mari's dad emerge into the kitchen from the living room. He was dressed in denims and a light blue shirt. It was such a contrast to the hazy picture Akko had of Mari's dad in his suit from sports day that she did a double take.

_He doesn't seem such a scary person, but still... _

He glanced at Akko and Mari and gave them a smile, friendly gray eyes gazing out from behind dusty lenses and a glistening face.

"Ah it's...Oohashi-san right?"

Akko nodded, not really sure what to say.

"You're still doing your vocational course, right?"

Akko nodded again and managed a "yes".

"Is that what you want to go into when you finish?"

Akko nodded again. Mari's father seemed satisfied enough with this response, or perhaps he'd simply run out of things to say because his gaze rose up and over her head.

Akko's head swivelled to follow his gaze back to Mari's mum who had risen and switched the kettle on again, with her back to them. Then her gaze went to Mari who was sat a little stiffer than usual with the fingers of her left hand shifting against the edge of her wooden chair haphazardly.

"Oohashi-san will be joining us for dinner on Saturday," Mari's mum added as she opened a cupboard to grab another cup, her own gaze momentarily sliding over Akko's head to her husbands. Akko didn't look round but felt sure Mari's dads gaze briefly settled back on her with a little more interest, before returning to Mari's mum.

"Very well," she heard him say in a neutral tone. Then he retreated back into the living room; a few moments later there was a rustle of a newspaper opening.

She glanced at Mari again and their eyes met. Mari's said 'are you ready to go?' and hers answered she was. Mari stood up,

"Then I'll be back later this afternoon oka-san,"

Akko also rose.

Mari's mum set the kettle back down.

"Okay, tea will be at half six so make sure you're back in time."

"Hai," Mari answered and began moving towards the doorway.

Akko followed, pausing at the doorway and turning to add,

"Thank you for the tea,"

Mari's mum, who was heading towards the living room with another cup, paused and gave Akko what Akko felt was a more genuine smile than her initial ones,

"You're welcome Oohashi-san." Then she moved on into the living room and out of site.

Mari was already at the front door, slipping on a pair of purple shoes and pulling tight the buckles, Akko slipped back into her own trainers: Both of them gripped by an oddly tense silence and a desire to be outside. Somehow when no-one knew it wasn't so hard, but once one family member knew the hiding it from the rest felt strangely dishonest.

_Now it's begun to come out there is no going back. Mari's mum was right, we will have to let Mari's dad know soon or else the tension will be unbearable. And after our families who else..._

Mari opened the door and light flooded the porch. And with that light Akko found herself smiling because somehow the fact they couldn't go back was more a positive than a negative after all.

_We are in our own clumsy way taking another step forward._

With that thought she stepped out of the front door after Mari and closed it with a firm thud, leaving a swirl of dancing dustmotes to drift mazily down in the dimmed light to settle amongst the floor tiles and regimented shoes. A few minutes later the hall phone broke the silence with a shrill insistent ringing.

Mari's mum came out of the kitchen and turned left, picking up the white receiver from where it clung to its wall pouch. The ringing stopped, although the small green light on the top continued to flash mutely.

"Hello, Kumakura residence."

"Good morning, this is Ms Oohashi speaking, is that Mrs Kumakura?"

"Yes," Mari's mum replied, eyes widening a little. She'd only spoken a few times with Akko's mum and met her even less. Was this about...

"Good, then I was wondering if you would be willing to meet up to talk about our daughters' sometime this week?"

* * *

_Sorry for the long waits between Chapters - Work and an exploratory foray into Visual Novels has been sucking out my energy and time - Still next Chapter should see the debut of another well known pair of characters :)_


	13. Chance Encounter

**Chance Encounter**

"Sure. When did you have in mind?" Mari's mum replied.

She somehow couldn't believe the she, that they, were having, or going to have, a talk about their daughters relationship. Of course she'd always been prepared at some point to meet with Mari's fiancé's family; but her image of them was a unit similar to their own with a handsome black haired boy standing alongside her blushing, admiring daughter.

She hoped her voice didn't sound unnatural or strained over the phone.

"Well I'm free Wednesday afternoon if that's convenient...or possibly Friday afternoon."

She vaguely recalled that Akko's mum worked in sales or something. She certainly had the crisp voice of a person who was used to negotiating.

"Wednesday would work, where do you want to meet?"

Come to think of it when had she found out about Mari and Akko?

"I don't mind heading over to your's, if its no inconvenience?"

"No that will be fine,"

"Can you remind me of your address?"

"Yes, we're subarea 12 number 6 on Block 8. What time were you thinking of coming over?"

It all felt a little systematic but then she was still going through the motions, and hardly knew Akko's mother.

_I wonder what became of her husband?_

"I'll be there at 3 if that is suitable?"

"Yes, that's fine,"

"Thank you for your hospitality," Akko's mum ended with and the line went dead. It struck Mrs Kumakura that Ms Oohashi was not all that savvy with switching from business mode to conversational on the phone.

_I guess I'll have to wait till Wednesday to sum her up properly. _

House chores for the moment forgotten she walked upstairs and into her bedroom; well their bedroom. He was still downstairs reading the paper and she fervently hoped he hadn't noticed the telephone conversation. Taking a deep breath she laid down on the soft white duvet stared at the white washed ceiling; the quiet punctuated by the ticking of their bedside clock.

"It feels like they've opened Pandora's Box," she murmured to herself between deep breaths. In the sunlight she felt sleepy and so wriggled further up the duvet so that her head rested on one of the pillows: She wouldn't rest long, just 15 minutes or so for there was a lot to do and she was not the sort of person who would be idle in her duties.

But for the next 14 minutes, till she reluctantly rose and headed back downstairs, rest wouldn't come because the same thoughts kept troubling her, one in particular over the others because she knew her husband all too well: How badly is he going to take the news on Saturday?

* * *

A short time later Akko and Mari emerged from the subway of Hanzomon Station. The journey itself had been uneventful, spent sat next to an otaku guy with J-Pop playing a few notches too loud from skull headphones with a couple of Volumes of Battle Vixens manga on his lap.

He, like the thinned crowds of older men and women and the occasional white skinned tourist, had paid them little or no attention and so they left him absorbed in his own world as they had come across him.

"Have you ever been to Hibiya Park?" Akko asked Mari as they emerged into the pleasant sunlight warming the light brick buildings either side of the street. Mari nodded as Akko slipped her right hand into her left; holding hands when they were out together was becoming as common as breathing.

"A long time ago I think we came here as a family on a couple of occasions...the last time was probably during the year we met. Have you ever been here before?"

"No, it just caught my eye on the map and it was nearby. I hardly ever went very far."

Mari nodded thoughtfully.

"Then lets enjoy your first time here and...and make some good memories!" She exclaimed, stammering part way through as she realised she was saying something somewhat out of character for her.

_Much more like Akko in fact...like with the photo pictures, or on school trips or whenever we do something new._

"Heh," Akko huffed happily, beaming at her, "that's the spirit!"

They both broke into giggles as they passed along the narrow streets and clusters of spindly evergreen trees flailing weakly in snatches of wild breeze; a couple of old ladies laden carrying groceries casting them confused and disapproving glances respectively. Oblivious to them they continued on, turning right and then left down a quieter road that should open onto a main road; beyond that would lay the Hibiya park.

On the left side a short white wall was topped by a waterfall-esque iron railing, which curved in towards the property at the top. Part way down the walls themselves curved inwards to a pair of efficient metal gates and beyond that the road flowed into a circular courtyard: There a large black saloon peeked out from behind the circular bush that the road wrapped round. Beyond that a two story house rose up, not imposing but with the modest glamour of something truly expensive.

Akko noticed Mari staring as they passed it and a thought struck her.

"Would you like to live somewhere like that one day Mari?"

Mari glanced up at her in surprise and her brow creased in thought.

A couple of steps on she answered,

"I don't really mind. It would be kind of nice but I think I'd be as happy in a house like my present one in the future if we were to, say, start a family."

"Ah," Akko replied, feeling her ears heat up. Family was something that Mari seemed to focus on more; for her it was still a way off, and yet to hear Mari speak of them having a family was heart warming.

"Grrr...as soon as we can we should move in together!" Akko exclaimed causing Mari to take a deep intake of breath.

"Eh?" Mari gasped. She was used to being the one to suggest such steps, coming from Akko was a surprise.

"Otherwise I'm going to end up unable to hold back in public..." Akko's fingers gently stroked the back of Mari's hand. For such a small action Mari found her blood heating up surprisingly quickly; maybe Akko's quieter tone was also to blame.

"Mmmm," she murmured in accession

Conscious of where they were their hands tightened and squeezed closer in unison to make do for now and Mari added as the reached the junction,

"I too want to move in with you as soon as possible."

"Ah," Akko managed as they waited for a chance to cross. Then in a stronger tone added, "then we'll make it work, right. Where there's a will there's a way."

"Um," Mari confirmed in agreement.

Akko glanced up and down the main road before them; it was divided in the centre by a metal partition which would be awkward to cross. But the nearest crossing point was five minutes south where a cycloptic green traffic light stared forlornly through the petrol inspired heat haze. On the other side of the road was an entrance to the park, marked by bollards with a metallic art sculpture in the form of a green ribbon wrapping itself in loops of 8 just beyond. The dying off of traffic heading from right to left convinced Akko to go for it.

"Let's go!"

She led Mari to the central intersection; halfway across Mari suddenly realised the problem.

"Ah! We have to climb over that?"

Akko smiled,

"Yeah, don't worry, I'll help you."

Mari cast Akko worried glance but said nothing. At the metal divider both of them were able to struggle over without too much difficulty and Akko began to suspect Mari was more unhappy about doing something irregular than the difficulty of actually doing it. Even so she slightly regretted this course of action.

They waited with backs against, and hands clutching, the smooth cold rail as cars and small delivery vans sped past at speed; enough to make even Akko feel a little uncomfortable so that she instinctively retook Mari's hand and edged closer in a subconscious effort to shield her. In the distance horns blared and the rich stench of petrol hung about them; apparently some people liked it but Akko couldn't see why.

Then a gap opened up and she quickly led Mari across the road and through the bollards to the scented paradise that lay beyond.

As their feet slowed upon the gravel and they walked past the writhing green piece of art work that, on closer inspection, resembled a four way linked chain, Akko got the admonishment she was half expecting.

"That was kind of dangerous Akko," Mari reproached.

"Ah, yeah..." There wasn't really much of an excuse. 5 minutes walk south wouldn't have killed them. "Sorry."

"Still this place is beautiful," Mari added gazing out upon a tabletop of green surrounded by a collage of coloured trees.

"Um," Akko agreed as they continued along the path and moved deeper into the park.

Hibiya was a maze of wonders and water played a big role; they passed by the dam where steep stone banks were lined with a flourish of bushy green hair from stunted green trees and through courtyards presided over by pink and albino sakura trees whose petals spread across the floor like precious, scattered gifts of nature. It was so beautiful in fact that it took them a couple of hours and well into the afternoon before they thought about food.

It was on reaching a pool with softly sloping grass banks, a relatively secluded spot amongst a sea of larger trees, that Akko's mind turned to Mari's handmade bento.

Before them a small wooden pier stuck out into the lake with a row of smaller trees lining the way in. At the heart of the mirrored lake an impressively sculpted, pentagram shaped fountain spewed water somewhat bizarrely from the back of a white albatross.

Akko's glance had shied a couple of times before to the plastic bag she carried containing the bento's Mari had prepared before they had left and now, seeing a good stretch of bank overlooking the lake to eat them on piped up,

"Shall we stop and have lunch..."

She was cut off by a familiar voice,

"Heyyy! Akko, Mari, wait for us!"

Mari and Akko glanced at each other, it couldn't be and yet it surely was...

They looked back down the path, which parted lines of well ordered trees, to see an oddly matched pair approaching. One was a short woman with pigtails and wearing a pink and red patterned dress billowing outwards at the waist. The other was much taller and dressed in a blue jumper, short denims and thick cream tights and waving languidly at them with a large smile on her face.

"Sugi..." Akko said in disbelief,

"...and Tamamin," Mari added in equal surprise.

* * *

_Slowly things develop and move on - where things go still has the capacity tosurprise even me but I remain convinced their love will win through. Thanks to allthose who continue to read and/or review XD_


	14. A Couple of Couples - Part 1

**A Couple of Couples – Part 1**

_**April - 1 Year Ago**_

"So how far have you and Mari gone then?" Sugi's silky voice penetrated the background bustle of Starbooks.

Akko swallowed her mouthful of white mocha in one go and stared at Sugi wide eyed.

"Erm, Mari?" She said reflexively. Deep down she had suspected and now knew that Sugi had known for a while she was dating Mari, but having not told her directly she was reluctant to simply volunteer the fact.

"Yeah, you know your girlfriend right?" Sugi added as though a parent talking to their young child; she gazed off out of the window, seemingly bored by the whole charade.

"Ahh..." Akko sighed, it really had been useless to hide things from Sugi. "Well I guess we're going good."

"So does that mean you've done it then?" Grey, green eyes snapped back onto Akko with the added emphasis of well applied black mascara in efficient, curving contours framing them.

Akko found her head rising to oven temperatures; they were in a fast food chain, anyone might hear! She nodded, glancing up at Sugi to check she'd understood. Sugi's eyebrows were raised, as though the answer had surprised her.

"Well good for you!" Sugi said and then with her face returning to a more natural tan and sly grin added, "was it good?" Akko had been going to take a full mouthful of coke, instead she froze and huffed; grateful she didn't have a mouthful of liquid to choke on. _It's just Sugi winding me up after all..._

_**The Present**_

_Well that's what I thought then, _Akko thought as she shielded her eyes against the sun and watched Sugi and Tamamin approach across the grass; _it was just the prelude to our holiday two...no three months later. It's nice to think our coming out played some small part in what happened then._

Lazily her left hand stroked the back of Mari's as Sugi and Tamamin stopped a few meters away.

"How come you're here?" Akko asked, glancing at the pair whose hands were entwined. She knew from texts late last year they were officially goingout but this was the first time they'd met up since then. Life had a way of creating distractions that made it tough to meet old friends, especially ones who lived some distance away.

_Of course it was really the Summer Holiday last year when they came together, the texts stating it as official weren't such a surprise. _

Sugi smiled, glancing at their entwined hands. "Same reason as you I suspect Akko. It seemed too nice a day not to go out. We're going to have lunch here then do some shopping." Akko noticed Tamamin was holding a chunky bento box covered by a crumpled green and white picnic sheet.

"Do you want to eat lunch together then?" Akko asked. "We'll pass on the shopping though as I blew my budget yesterday."

"Sure!" Tamamin exclaimed, "It's been so long since we've seen you both! It'll be like a double date."

Mari stood next to Akko watching Sugi and Tamamin with a joyful smile. _It's surreal seeing childhood friends after long periods apart. Sugi seems a lot less, how should I put it, fashion conscious and her stance is more relaxed. Tamamin seems taller, slimmer and with less freckles. The same yet somehow not, like a beach before and after full tide._

_I'm so happy things seem to be working out between them though. Who could have known Sugi-san had such a troubled past? That was a turbulent night in that log cabin last summer; with the air hot and humid and the rain pouring down from a growling, flashlit sky._

As they began walking on down the trees in a line of four with Akko, Sugi and Tamamin discussing the best spot to go eat, Mari let her thoughts replay that evening again:

**July – 1 Year Ago**

It was the fourth day of the trip. They had already spent a fun filled Saturday and Sunday on the beach and climbed up to a hidden woodland shrine. Today though, a Tuesday, had been overcast and they had needed supplies. That necessitated a trip to town, which Sugi and Tamamin had rather unusually volunteered for in return for Mari and Akko cooking tea.

Following a rather filling tea of ramen and barbequed chicken the four of them had flopped down onto the large shapeless cushions, of varying shades of cream, in the living room and let the food settle as outside the sky murmured in discontent.

The air was warm and as the fist drop of rain speared across the modern patio windows looking out onto an evergreen hemmed grass garden, 10 meters wide and about as long. The cabin itself was part way up a hillside in a wooded area, with similar cabins nearby; all part of the same resort.

Mari recalled resting with her head staring out onto the dimmed green through the windows, hearing the grumbling weather and smiling at how safe and warm she felt amongst her friends.

Sugi was the one to get bored first. Smiling she rose and walked across into her room, shortly emerging with a carrier bag emblazoned with wrinkled cheap plastic and bright green lettering; clearly from an off licence. When she dumped it in front of her cushion it made an unmistakeable clink of cheap glass.

Akko, lying closer to the window, slightly to Mari's right, but angled so she was facing towards Mari and away from the window groaned. "Trust Sugi to bring back the booze."

Tamamin, opposite Akko and perpendicular to her, so that all four faced inwards in a very poor approximation to a circle chuckled, sitting up as Sugi began removing the catch. "Sugi's been able to buy booze for a while now, although she usually just gets her boyfriends to donate."

"Hey! They offer to buy me the stuff mostly," Sugi said proudly. "And you shouldn't complain Akko, see I even brought your favourite." She held aloft a medium sized brown glass bottle with an arched gold label bearing the words in shiny gold 'Kahlua'. The label was decorated with two golden stone pillars running up to an Aztec style arch with a palm tree scattered rural village sitting beneath, hills, clouds and a white bright sun; all in various shades of gold, with the gold becoming darker the further from the white sun. A red ribbon ran from the top of the label to the neck and was stamped by an imitation wax seal giving it an official look. Sugi had found out some time ago from her at a drinks evening that this was Akko's favourite, after which Sugi had taken to bringing it to drinks evenings to placate Akko and tease her in equal measure; this being the drink Sugi associated with male charlatans.

"I'll get a bottle opener," Tamamin exclaimed. Most of the cans were in fact self open-able or screw-top but it seemed Sugi had gone for a bottle of European wine as well.

"Can you get some milk from the fridge as well?" Akko asked, implicitly giving in to the temptation. Akko always added milk to the Kahula as it took away the excessive sweetness and changed the colour from syrup to light chocolate. Having tried both versions she preferred the milky version, it felt smoother and richer and brought out the smell of freshly ground coffee beans better; it was probably also because it reminded her of her first, and a number of other, kisses with Akko. Back then she remembered catching Akko's eye and knowing she understood what she was thinking; back then the sensation of synching and thinking those thoughts was enough for both of them to turn bright red and glance away.

"Yes!" Tamamin had said and left the room. Their eyes had met up again. Akko's eyes such a warm shade of hazel brown...or slightly darker...maybe even like the lightened Kahula milk itself...

**The Present**

"Mari? Mari!"

"Eh?"

We're here. You were staring off into space." Akko stated.

Mari blinked, Sugi and Tamamin were already spreading their blanket out over the grass; dark green and white squares covering the short mint green grass. Beyond the lake sparkled and rippled causing the wraith of dancing sparkles at the centre of its surface to shrink and swell.

"Ah, sorry." She went to lay out their rug and then realised they hadn't brought one. The ground was dry anyhow so it wouldn't have been a problem but Tamamin's looked big enough for four.

"Were you thinking of Akko per chance?" Sugi asked innocently.

Mari smiled back, "a little I guess...would you mind if we shared your rug?"

"Not at all," Sugi said looking cheerful; but a little disappointed that it hadn't been as easy to tease Mari as she had hoped. So she pushed a bit harder,

"Were you thinking about anything in particular in relation to Akko?" The insinuation alone in the past would have rendered Mari near speechless but to Sugi's disappointment she didn't even blush.

"Su..." Akko began sternly but Mari cut through,

"No, well I was just thinking back to last Summer when we were playing Truth or Dare..."

And for once the tables were turned as Sugi's own face flushed in embarrassment.

* * *

_It's become quite hard to write in recent months, I'm out working 6am-8pm during the week, have no home internet and suspected Chron's so have lacked energy to write on weekends. I also had writers block for this Chapter/next sequence of events - probably because I find it harder to morph into Sugi and Tamamin's characters (particularly Tamamin). But I have a fair idea how to progress the next section now that goes over how Sugi and Tamamin came together. I also got the first volume of Girlfriends in English at Hyper-Japan in London last week; couldn't believe it was on sale – totally made the trip worth going for just for that! I was so excited when I saw it XD _

_It shows how out of ouch with tech I am that I didn't realise coffee shops have free wi-fi nowadays - thanks to Costa I managed to get this out earlier than expected :)_


	15. A Couple of Couples - Part 2

**A Couple of Couples – Part 2**

"Ah!"

_So Mari was recalling that too, that game of truth and dare. I only hazily recall it as I'd had a couple of small glasses of Kahula milk and was a bit light headed but I do still remember how it ended..._

**June – 1 Year Ago – Akko's POV**

The blue bottle, spiralled with white flower patterns, spun frantically round with a hollow whirring from Tamamin's quick wrist flick: All eyes watching it closely, with a range of alertness. Sugi's eyes were already a little glassy, somehow she and Tamamin had finished off one of the bottles of wine and several bottles of sake in the time it had taken her to have one and a half porcelain cups worth of the smoothly rich Kahula milk.

Mari had had 2 cup full's and was on her third; but she handles alcohol a lot better than I do: Surprising given I'm seen as more of the party person, but then after that one night I hate to speak of I have always taken extra care how much I drink.

"OOOOOhhhhhhh!" Tamamin exclaimed loudly in excitement. She must have been at least as drunk as Sugi but, unlike Sugi who became a little more flirtatious when drunk, Tamamin became more excitable: _Like an anime character, or a puppy with a bone. _

The bottle slowed, wobbling a little and moving off centre until it came to a standstill near enough on Mari.

"Truth or dare!" Tamamin exclaimed energetically.

"Ah, truth," Mari said, looking dejected, she still found playing this sort of game uncomfortable.

A flicker of mischief crossed Tamamin's face as a no doubt perverted question crossed her mind, but in the end she settled for a relatively tame question, "Are you dating someone?"

Mari gulped, but clearly she'd been expecting worse, nodding and glancing at me with a shy smile.

_Urk!_ _Well that isn't obvious at all Mari! _

I glance at Tamamin. To be honest I somehow hope she's caught on, because it's only a matter of time and it feels awkward hiding it from them. Luckily for all her apparent air-headedness Tamamin is acutely sharp at sensing such things, just as Mari can be adorably naive.

Tamamin's eyes are firmly on me as I glance questioningly at her and then back to Mari, who is a little red and flustered.

"Wait..." Tamamin's glancing between us now with widening eyes and you can practically see the images of us holding hands, whispering together and sharing secret jokes running through her head... Unless I'm completely wrong and she's about to announce something insane; just like an anime punch line where everyone sweatdrops...

"The person you're going out with isn't Akko is it?" Tamamin's voice goes up several notches in excitement. Come to think of it she did read boys love manga, perhaps she's a fan of yuri as well?

Mari's confirming lack of response is broken of by Sugi's smug drawl. "Of course they are Tamamin. They've been going out for ages."

That produces more of a bombshell than even Sugi anticipated. Mari gasps, then glares daggers at me! Hazily I wonder whether I ever told Mari properly that Sugi knows about us. I thought I said she suspected but given Mari's suspicious glare maybe not. I smile sheepishly back. Mari huffs and takes another gulp of Khuala milk. Dammit she's mad at me.

"Sugi, how long have you known? And you didn't tell me!" Tamamin is a curious mixture of radiant joy and indignant sulkiness.

Sugi yawns as though the news isn't such a big deal and picks up a glass of plum wine. "For a long time. And because you never asked. Shall we let Mari spin?"

Tamamin sits down in a sulk facing away from Sugi but somehow can't remain dejected for more than 5 seconds as Mari reaches for the sapphire bottle lying motionless in the floor's centre.

"Wow! Well congratulations! Wait you guys never told me either!"

"You never asked," I tease, grinning; relieved Tamamin's taking it so well. I thought she would but one can never quite tell. Mari gives Tamamin a small smile too and I know she's thinking the same as her slender fingers jerk to send the bottle spinning clockwise.

"Thanks Tamamin," she says happily. The bottle slows and I can see Tamamin willing it to land on one of us. _I suppose the Inquisition is to be expected, better have some more Kahula Milk. _Letting a pleasant creamy stream run down my throat I watch the bottle come to stop on Tamamin.

"Truth or dare?" Mari asks. Tamamin had gone dare last time and kissed Sugi on the cheek. After a brief pause Tamamin declared happily;

"Truth,"

Mari seemed unsure what to ask and feeling that Tamamin's question to Mari had unduly put my girlfriend out I intervene with a difficult one of my own.

"Did you ever sleep with Harada-san?" As soon as I said it I knew I'd messed up. Everyone including Mari knew that Tamamin had started seeing Harada-san few months after Mari and he parted ways; they themselves had split up in Spring on good terms, although no reason for the split was given. I'd meant to just embarrass Tamamin but of course Mari dated the guy as well. The fact I said it without realising the idiocy of the question I could only attribute to the innocent looking cream coloured liquid pooled before me.

Tamamin reddened a little, but even that sort of question didn't phase her.

"Yeah we were in-ti-mate for a while" she said chuckling. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw Sugi's eyes widen in surprise? Then they returned to a blank unreadable look quickly. I avoided looking at Mari having most probably hurt her twice in a matter of minutes. _Tonight's not looking good for spooning..._

Tamamin casts Sugi a glance as she spins the bottle that is so intense it's hard to read. It might be cheeky or anxious or both. I'm not really sure. I really must stop with the Kahula Milk. The bottle spins again and slows to stop on Sugi. Tamamin's quick to fire off the question to which Sugi replies 'truth'. Bothe Sugi and Tamamin cycle truth and dare, Mari and I almost always go truth, although sometimes when I've drunk enough I'll sometimes go dare.

"How many times have you been in-ti-mate with your boyfriends Sugi?"

Now that's an interesting question. Given she has so many on the go it must be a few. Maybe even double digits? For as long as I can remember Sugi's had boyfriends and been giving relationship advice so...

_But for some reason she's struggling to answer this. Can't recall how many? Surely she's not embarrassed by the question. Out of all of us she's the most experi..._

In a resigned voice I hear Sugi say 'none'. I probably have drunken too much Kahula Milk.

"None?" I hear myself say incredulously.

"None." Sugi says deadpan.

"But..."

Sugi rubs her fore head in irritation and flashes me a daggers look. In those usually placid, calm eyes I catch a glimpse of deeper pain.

"I can't stand guys okay!" Sugi says bitterly with raw aggression fills her voice. It softens a little as she glances away, "I mean I just haven't found the right guy just yet, they're all so needy and perverted..."

Is her left eye starting to water? I wonder incdredulously. I'm probably just drunk, but...

Sugi spins the bottle quickly but her usual calmness seems shaken and she seems more distant. I watch the bottle spin hypnotically, feeling dizzy. _Don't land on me, don't land on me...Aw Crap. _

The rain really is hammering down now. I pick truth as I'm not sure any dare involving physical activity is possible at present. I might be sick. I take note not to drink any more for a bit.

"How many people have you been intimate with Ako?" It's a predictable chain question but from Sugi's smile I know the question is infused with mischief. I bury my head into my arm and hear myself moan,

"Ahh! Sugi, not fair!" _At least Mari kinda knows. _

"Come on Akko. Me and Tamamin have had to answer."

"One," I say sullenly raising my head and deciding to get this over and done with.

"Oh?" Sugi says raising an eyebrow incredulously.

"The other one didn't count." I say in exasperation.

Sugi cocks her other eyebrow and I can feel myself becoming angry: Pretending to be so high and mighty.

"You mean you don't count between girls?" Sugi asks amused.

Forgetting her earlier discomfort I lose my temper: How dare she make such judgements when she has no experience? How dare she mock us!

"No! Between me and the guy! He was too drunk! And I don't want to hear you belittle us when you haven't even been with someone properly. What's with that! You're the only virgin left in the room!"

In my mind I know I've gone too far, but somehow I don't care anymore. Sugi's always teasing Mari and I about our relationship and acting like she knows best. To take her down a peg or two seems just.

Sugi turns an unusual shade of red and I can't tell whether she's mad or embarrassed: Before tonight I can't recall seeing her particularly angry or put out since we became friends. To my left I hear Tamamin give an amused laugh that starts off light but peters out and Mari gasps to my right. Sugi rallies,

"Like you know the half of it Akko, you can't even excite a guy..."

I flare up. Something was off in Sugi's tone but I'm too angry and light headed to care.

"At least I'm not scared of them like you!"

Sugi flinches. "So what if I am!" She says, but a touch too defiantly; and I'm sure now there are tears in her eyes. Sugi never loses her calm. Never. Well actually I don't know about that but I've never seen her lose her calm.

Sugi takes a giant gulp from the wine bottle next to her. I daren't look at Mari because I'm certain that along with concerned glances towards Sugi she'll also be giving me some 'you're in trouble later' looks.

"What happened Sugi?" I hear Mari ask gently; its a tone that promises acceptance regardless. _Mari is amazing._

Sugi grimaces as she puts the bottle down.

"Nothing... Just all guys are the same: Perverts or hopeless. My dad for...not in that way! But he was done for touching up a girl once. Then my frigging teacher...he...he molested me! And don't get me started on mixer boys with their plastered grins, obvious eyes and wandering hands! I don't know why but I can't stand it! I just want to find a Mr Right, but there's no such thing as a Mr Right out there..." Sugi's gaze wanders between Mari and the window as she speaks. You can barely see the tree lined border outside for the rain.

"Who says it's a Mr?" I chip in, part defensively and part seeking to help; now that a gnawing guilt had occupied the back of my mind for pushing Sugi this far.

"Haaahhh that's im..." Another miracle. Sugi trails off before she finishes her sentence, her eyes going between Mari and I. "I don't know if I could get used to that...but...besides it was all so easy for you two. Where would I even start?" Sugi rallies.

_So even Sugi worries like this. It isn't just me. Somehow that's strangely reassuring. _

"You could always start closest to home," Tamamin interjects light heartedly, "you know I'm free and single." It sounded like a joke, but maybe there was more to it? Sugi and Tamamin's eyes lock for a couple of awkward seconds then Sugi breaks the glance looking flustered. In the past I'm sure she would have delivered a cheesy line and kissed her. Instead she rises unsteadily and says,

"I...think I'll go get some rest. I'm feeling schleepy." Then she staggers as her stocking laced foot catches in the bean bag.

"Do you want some help?" Tamamin proffers.

"No that's..." She almost falls again casing Tamamin and Mari to start towards her..."well okay just a little."

Tamamin stands nimbly and Sugi puts her arm over Tamamin's shoulders to use as a support.

"Are you gonna be okay?" I call out, as much in a sense of duty than out of a belief I could be of any meaningful assistance.

"No," Tamamin says glancing back at us, "I'll be fine." She seems strangely energetic, more than usual, which says a lot. Carefully she guides the inebriated Sugi back to their room.

"Ahhh," I sigh feeling the strain of tension hovering about release. Now that the drama has subsided I notice the more regular backdrop of rain fall on the streaked window panes and the humming of the air conditioner, making the room see somewhat homely. So where is this feeling of imminent danger coming from? And what happened to my half full glass of Kahula Milk?

I work it out at the same time my name is pronounced in disapproval, "Akko."

There isn't really any point fighting this, but still...

"She started it you know."

That response doesn't elicit much sympathy in Mari's eyes.

"Sorry, I went a bit overboard. I know..." I mutter abashed. I glance longingly at the half glass of Kahula milk in Mari's hand. Half a glass more seems very tempting all of a sudden. Surely another half a glass wouldn't hurt.

Trouble is Mari can already read me quite well.

"Nope, you've had wayyy too much Akko, especially for you."

I pout. It surely isn't unreasonable to want just half a glass more.

"Butttt..." I move towards Mari with puppy dog eyes. Mari's gaze softens, but she holds the glass aloft.

"Then I'll give you a choice Akko."

"Hm?"

"Either you take the glass and sleep alone or you go to bed now and I'll join you."

I can't help but laugh. Mari somehow always wins. Besides I should probably be grateful she isn't taking me apart for some of the stuff I said earlier.

"That's too easy a choice..." I giggle, but the room is warm and spinning and I feel so-very sleepy now that I've given up chasing the glass. Mari is so composed, I'm so very lucky...

* * *

_A/N: A return to the present next Chapter to conclude for now what happened then...depending on which alternate universe this is they may go on to karaoke together or may split off on their separate ways after their picnic in the park...or something else altogether. This story seems to write itself at times :)_


	16. A Couple of Couples - Part 3

**A Couple of Couples - Part 3**

"Aha! Yes, you two were rather awkward the next morning...we wondered if anything had happened?" I say with a grin. It's rare to have a chance to turn tables on Sugi.

Sugi and Tamamin exchange a glance, then Tamamin gives me a disarming smile.

"That's a secret," she says merrily, her hair shifting to the left in the wind, eyes quickly switching to the rug before us. "But forget that; lets tuck in!"

Mari is already well on her way to unpacking our bento's and Tamamin quickly follows suit with Sugi and her own lunch. My stomach rumbles faintly, softly enough that no-one notices but I am getting hungry. And thirsty. I reach for the bottled water and grab a pair of wooden chopsticks from my bento box.

All together we look to each other, only to find Tamamin's green chopsticks are halfway to her mouth, a red taco dangling helplessly from them.

"Ah sorry," she says, under the narrowing glances of Mari, Sugi and I, dropping the taco back. "We don't tend to say thanks at home so much."

"All together then," Mari says putting her hands together and we all follow suit, though I do sneak a peak at my bento, trying to decide which section I should attack first.

"Idatakimasu," rings out and then me and Tamamin dive for our chopsticks, I go for a lump of curried chicken; Tamamin I notice is back to the taco. _I wonder what Mari started with...Ah the salad. She often starts with the salad. Is that because she likes to get the worst part over first? It's such a small thing to think about but it's something else I don't know about her. I'll ask her later._

Lunch proved to be a quiet affair; we were all were hungry and for a time concentrated on the feast of taco's, flavoured onigiri and golden egg rolls; oblivious to the strolling crowds and other picnickers around the lake: With all the food gone the four of us sat back in a circle and bathed in the sunshine.

"Say have you told anyone else that you're going out?" I ask Sugi and Tamamin.

"You mean like parents or friends?" Sugi sounds amused. "My mum barely listens to me so I doubt she'd really take it in, she might even think it fashionable. But no we haven't yet."

"Yeah it might take me a while to tell mine," Tamamin laughs, but with a trace of nervousness. "My dad would probably be okay but my mums always hoped I'll grow out of my odd otaku ways and become a model of society. I think she'd flip if she found out.

"Why ask? Have you told yours?" Sugi questioned curiously.

"Aha, eh yeah yesterday. Actually my mum came in and found us making..."

"Akko! " Mari protests.

Sugi and Tamamin burst out laughing,

"Was she okay about it?" Tamamin asked and I gave an approving 'um', glancing up at the sky: Lazy clouds are drifting over in no particular shape.

"Well, I think so...Mari's mum seems okay about it too. We're just worried about when her dad finds out."

Mari grimaces and lets out an involuntary sigh. I give her a quick glance in concern.

"Sounds like that is going to be hard," Sugi sympathises, "but you know you're adults now and your future's yours to choose not theirs; whatever the consequences." Sugi gives me and Mari a warm smile. "You know I'm proud at how brave you've become. When you started out I was sure it would not last, but every time we meet you seem stronger. I might just tell my own mum soon at this rate."

Tamamin claps excitedly, eyes sparkling.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but how much should I tell I wonder Tamamin," Sugi continues in a lazy drawl, with a mischievous grin.

"Errr..."

"I mean we could talk about exactly how far we've gone...or perhaps I could just show her your doujin sketches of us?"

_Doujins, of them? I wonder what positions? I wonder if they've done things me and Mari haven't?_

"Sugi!" Tamamin growls, beet red.

"Ahahaha," Sugi laughed, "of course I won't show them to her. Or anyone else," she gives me a mock apologetic grin. "Were you curious Akko?"

"Err..." _Bother... _

"I think Akko was wondering if you'd done things we've not yet done," Mari answers her with amusement in her tone.

I forget to swallow and almost choke as I stare at her wide eyed.

Mari's blushing, but from her grin she's clearly happy to have sussed me out. For the hundredth, no the thousandth time I honestly feel like she completes me somehow. And besides she looks so cute.

Tamamin's laugh and Sugi's enthusiastic 'Oh?' bring me back to reality.

I scratch my hair involuntarily before realising what I'm doing and let out an embarrassed giggle of my own. "Yeah I guess that's what I was thinking." I can't lie to her after all; not that I'd want to or that it would be in any way plausible after my reaction. Still for her to say that...

Sugi glances at Tamamin and then back at us and grins, "well I don't mind sharing as long as it's an exchange of information..."

And so we talk for some time about positions, techniques and problems. Safe to say Tamamin knew the most theory, albeit Sugi was apparently proving quite stubborn about giving in to most of her ideas. In fact in a few ways Mari and I had gone further than them, but I did leave with a couple of ideas from Tamamin which sounded interesting; and a few that sounded utterly insane. What's more it was a relief for all of us in a way to be able to share and discover common problems and concerns that we simply thought were due to inexperience rather than universal; for instance the myth that it was 'right' or natural to orgasm at the same time (something that Tamamin struggled with as apparently 'women always orgasm together in yuri') and the mystery surrounding the G spot. For once Sugi seemed equally thankful to receive advice as to give. Little time seemed to have passed and yet before we knew it the sinking sun triggered a call to bring our discussion to a close...

Mari had just glanced at her watch for the second time in five minutes and caught my eye. I slipped out my phone as Tamamin continued to explain the merits of a particular Yuri manga and why she thought one of the characters, Tamao, had been unfairly cheated. Amazingly Sugi seemed to be following and arguing the opposing viewpoint. _I should probably try reading some of that stuff when I have a moment and work out where they sell it. Come to think of it I could just order it online..._

I glance at the time on the top right of my phone, feeling Mari's charms dangle lightly against my wrist: 16.54.

"Right, we need to be getting back; before I get myself into anymore trouble by not returning Mari at a reasonable hour."

"You have curfew this early?" Tamamin exclaims.

"No, but I said I'd have her back in time for tea; and I don't want to be getting into their bad books at the moment."

Sugi stretches and stands up as Mari, with a nod starts making sure all our stuff is packed up and helps Tamamin fold the blanket.

"I know!" Tamamin exclaims suddenly, "we should go do karaoke this week! Sugi and I have a few weeks off before we go on to our next courses so if you're about this week do you want to?"

"I'm free Tuesday and Friday afternoons this week." _I'm working all day Saturday though at the minute I think, although I just need to switch shifts on that front. _

Mari and Sugi nod their approval as well,

"Either's good for me."

"Me too."

"Shall we say 7.30pm Tuesday at "

Again no dissent and Tamamin swings picks up her hamper of empty bentos with the rug draped over. Holding hands we stroll back to the path in pairs. As close as were at school, somehow now the air between us all feels stronger. Like conspirators against a worldly plot to crush the love that frightens it.

_Before now I thought we were alone. Well actually thinking about it there must be other couples who we can talk or share with...But in truth taking someone as cute as Mari to those places scares me a bit, and yet maybe it's unhealthy for us not to socialise more?_

"Then see you Tuesday Mariko!" Tamamin says with a grin.

"Same to you Sugamin" I rely back in a flash provoking laughter all round. I think we're attracting uncertain glances from an older couple approaching, maybe from the hand holding as much as anything else but nothing especially hostile.

_It is after all the privilege between us as girls that we can hold hands without comment in public whilst it means something deeper. That has to be right and yet, what I really want is a world that someday can accept such a gesture as being more than just friendship and rejoice in it. I wonder if I'll ever see that day?_

* * *

_Finally managed to finish this Chapter :D Next should conclude Sunday (although it may become 2) and is likely to include some more of Akko's draft letter to her mum. Then I'll see how fast we move into the week which is, in the way life does, starting to fill up with a jumble of plans of its own._

_Thanks to all those supporting and reviewing this fanfic, despite the long pauses at present. When I need a boost to continue on I find nothing works better than looking over the supportive comments and critique left behind :)_

_[Unrelated but worthy of mention is that GF is out in English for both Volumes, and somehow I found hard copies of both at 2 different places: The only 2 copies I've so far come across in stores/manga stalls! Felt like fate itself in its own way :) That too has been a great help in writing this!]_


	17. Preparation

**Preparation **

"See you soon Akko" Mari said with a smile, then bent down and kissed Akko on the cheek before dashing out of the doors as they began beeping a closing warning. Akko remained with a faint blush and dreamy expression for a couple of seconds before her face broke out in a big grin; completely oblivious to the disapproving stares of an elderly couple on seats on the other side of the door and carriage.

_I want to live with her soon. I really do! Back when we left school there were times I doubted, times I worried we would fall apart in time and drift away. But Mari always chose me as she said she would. Even when times were hard. And I in turn chose her and to support her in kind. Every storm became a building block, every peaceful lull a fresh breathe of joy. But those times have been too short. I, we, I suspect are ready to take our relationship a step up soon…But how soon is soon?_

With a gentle clatter the train rumbled on and Akko leaned back against the faded blue seats until her phone buzzed. Pulling her white Nokia out of her pocket, a fading pink flower trailing from a leaf embroidered strap, she flipped open the gold star spotted cover and swiped the screen to unlock it.

The background photo was of her and Mari from the plane ride home from that very eventful class trip that felt like a hundred years ago and yet at the same time as if it were just the other day. A mail envelope flashed across the top bar and Akko hit the large icon, second to the right at the bottom of the screen, to open the message list up; smiling as she saw the message was from Mari.

'_I made it just in time, though I was out of breath. Thanks for such an amazing day! Was great to see Sugi and Tam as well. I forgot to ask, what days are you free this week? Mari xxxx'_

Akko hastily tapped back a reply:

_Not much free time __ Tuesday and Friday afternoon though we're going karaoke Tuesday right? But you're welcome to drop by for a makeover at my Salon during the day. I'll give you a discount ;) xxxx_

She didn't have to do so many hours for the vocational part of the course, but the money was useful in helping with her tuition and besides she was saving for the future.

_It's because my mother works so hard that I've had access to so much good stuff and a roof over my head. It must be hard to be a single parent. Although I wish she'd been there more, but I understand why she was not. Still I want to provide for Mari as well…_

The train rattled on towards Kinshichou and Akko's stomach gave a small sigh of protest. Her hands, idly holding her phone, sprang to life; like machines awakened from slumber they sped across the keys with delicate precision.

_Are you going to be home tonight? Do you need me to get anything from the convenience store? Love Akko._

3 minutes later came a text back from her mum.

_I'll be home late, am seeing friends in town. We are low on soy milk and toilet rolls and shampoo – if you could get some that would be a great help xx_

Akko nodded to herself as she closed the message down and opened up a spaceshooter game on her phone. She couldn't get beyond the 5th level which was proving to be a source of mild irritation. Somehow every time she swore she'd never try again she ended up doing so anyway. It did have the advantage of being a quick game at least and there were only 5 minutes to her stop, so as the small 2D icons began flashing on the screen Akko focussed all her attention on wiping out hordes of green blobs descending.

5 minutes later and she stepped from the platform with the bittersweet feeling of having beaten her personal best score by 15 points but having still failed to beat the level five boss.

"Seriously I swear that boss is some sort of cheat code," Akko muttered as she stepped from the train, which eased off out of the station with a long practiced whine.

On the smooth tarmac platform Akko took a deep breath of the evening air, mostly fresh but still stained with the subtle, stale taste of pollution, which tends to pervade every large city. Overhead the sky was dark blue and fading to black. A faint pinkish hue reflected off the clouds to the West and peering up Akko could make out a couple of bright points of light that were probably planets or really bright stars. For a few moments she allowed herself to be transfixed until a cool gust of air suggested the warmth of a room would be preferable to braving the whims of nature.

_In all this vast space I met Mari – can one call that chance? Can I really have not intended to meet someone so right for me? Or maybe that's what they call 'blindly in love' without reason and it is simply chance. _She chuckled. _I'm certainly lucky as can be, although there will be many problems to come. _Anyone looking closely would have seen Akko's eyes dim and her forehead crease for a few seconds as she headed into the station entrance/exit. As ever it was only for a moment though as Akko was someone who favoured action over deep thoughts. _Whatever problems there are we can overcome them together! I know we can!_

Refreshed by the beauty of the sky above Akko moved swiftly on through the ticket barriers and made a few snake like turns along people filled streets to the convenience store a few streets from her home.

The convenience store was one you could find in most places in the world. A generic glass fronted, flattened cube of a building with pale green and red neon lights and a small front car park littered with cars; their colours bled to dark blues and blacks by the night except for one smooth white car that sat like an oversized pebble amongst the others, coloured by the pale glowing mess of neon lights and pale streetlamps that stained it with ghost graffiti.

Entering through the sliding doors beneath the 7/12 sign and a banner proclaiming a deal on sake (1/3 off selected brands) Akko grabbed a basket and proceeded to head about the aisles searching for the goods required.

It didn't take long for her to pile in the loo rolls, milk and shampoo. Four ready made bento's quickly followed with practiced ease. Akko lingered longer in the snack section before picking up five packets of pocky and a couple of bags of crisps. She also grabbed a four pack of cola.

_I know it's not exactly healthy but tonight I'm going to be thinking and writing a bit and I need snacks to think. If only Mari was here she could cook me something proper. I do miss her hand made bentos._

She took a deep breath and sighed. It couldn't be helped. She had at least spent the past two days with Mari, all the more appreciated as a result of the time spent apart.

At the till she was second in line and within a few minutes was being served by a middle aged, dumpy man who scanned her goods through with a lack of interest. _Should I have brought some Khalua for tonight? No I'm sure there is some in the cupboard at home and besides I'm working the morning shift tomorrow. _

The guy at the till peered at her through rounded spectacles, his black combed hair streaked with white and slick with either gel or sweat; Akko suspected the latter as it hadn't been well tended. In a monotonous voice he said "that will be 3872 Yen." Akko handed him the money and received a smattering of coins in return which she pocketed. He didn't even bother to look at her, or the next customer (a stressed looking 30 something year old women with two kids) as he once again began scanning items through the red laser light panel.

For a brief moment as she shouldered the plastic bags Akko wondered what sort of life that man had led to put him where he was, and to make him so unfriendly. But it was useless speculation and life had far more to offer than spending time dwelling on till staff. She passed out into the cool night air and the clear sky, fading from deep blue to black. As she emerged from the doors her mind ran to the day she had found Mari standing outside the store in her yukata.

_So awkward. For both of us. I wonder what led her to that spot at that time? Fate again? Would things have worked out as they have if she had not…No I'm sure one way or another they would. One cannot keep true love apart. Where there is a will there is a way and I had already begun awakening to my love for Mari from her confession._

The bags weren't too heavy and Akko comfortably began making her way along the winding, well lit streets that led to the concrete island that supported the block of flats where she had lived so much of her life.

About halfway back she noticed a group of 3 boys following her down the road, laughing and joking amongst themselves. The area was well lit and residential but a speck of paranoia infected her and made her tense a little. She was sure they had seen her, what if they sped up? What if they surrounded her?

She sped up slightly, but the distance didn't seem to change. Sharply she turned a corner and then another, still moving as quickly as the shopping allowed her, until she found herself in the rectangular clearing amongst the concrete jungle that supported her housing block.

It wasn't until she had used her keycard to get inside the main porch that she relaxed.

_Really there was no need for that. But for a girl, even one like me with my dropkick, it feels like one is at a disadvantage when out late at night. Even as a couple I have to keep an eye out. I wonder if I can become strong enough to be a proper protector for Mari?_

She resolved to re-start some sort of self defence class and take it more seriously.

_Ous! If I do I can level up my drop kick! I should think of a good name for it…_

She let an elderly couple out of the lift then walked in and hit 16 on the board. Her flat, well her mum's to be precise, was only a few floors from the top.

After a few minutes the lift slowed and with a gentle 'ching' opened to a visage of a cream wall and carpet. A few more turns and she came upon the black ink sign bearing the numbers 701 and Oohashi.

_Finally home. It feels like it's been such a long day, well couple of days…_

She unlocked the door, kicked her shoes off and checked the time on her phone; 7.16.

Her phone also had a new message. Come to think of it Mari never replied to my last text?

It was indeed from Mari:

_Sorry was having tea – A make over sounds good. I'd like to meet your work colleagues properly. Will try for Thursday. I hope you are eating well? M xxxx_

"Ahahaha…" Akko laughed guiltily and glanced at the Bento boxes.

_Oh well, a grown girls got to eat something and I'm not the cooking type really. _

She went into the kitchen and unloaded the food, sticking most of the bento's in the fridge and pulling a pair of chopsticks from the kitchen draw.

She then moved, having binned one empty carrier bag, with the second into the living room; turning off the kitchen light and slipping about the table in the night gloom. There was only one switch for the living room lights and that was by the kitchen door, and it seemed to preserve a sense of alone-time to just have her bedroom light on. She made it to her bedroom without incident and having switched on the light seated herself at her computer with the bag of goodies next to her on the floor. Mobile in hand she rattled out a text to Mari as she opened the lid of her jet black laptop and hit the thin rounded rectangle of a power button on the top right of the keypad.

_Ahh yeah well I kinda got bento's as mum not in *sweatdrop* But I'll diet soon! Glad you got back in time. And being with you again today was so special! Can't wait till every day is like that! Xxxx. _She hit send and turned her attention back to the laptop.

The laptop was a few years old and not the fastest, but neither was it the slowest; a birthday present from her mum who always seemed pretty competent when it came to technology. Albeit she didn't sell technology. To be honest Akko had never really understood what she sold. Her mother had attempted to explain it once but it went right over her head.

The profile picture flashed up above the password box. A picture of Mari, of course, wearing a striped cotton one piece dress and laughing so innocently. It was as though she was sparkling and coming alive from the screen itself.

Akko typed quickly, the picture was beautiful but like everything viewed many times it had lost an element of its original brilliance. _In the end experiencing her in the flesh as it were is a thousand times better, laughing or not. _

With the password Mariko88 put in her start screen loaded and she clicked on the circular windows button and selected Word. Reaching down to her right she drew forth the first box of Pocky, white chcocolate on a stick, from the carrier bag and took a deep breath, staring at the blank screen before her.

_Ous! Lets begin!_

* * *

_Apologies for the long gaps - a mixture of writers block, detail chasing and a load of work all took their toll. Whilst works still hard I hope to post a few more Chapters in the next few months as I've managed to work out a probable framework, although I'm sure the story will manage to change and divert at times from whatever I forsee as the hazy future. _

_Things have been relatively calm for the pair so far but, although I cannot be certain, I strongly suspect there will be some rough times ahead. One at least they have anticipated, one less so and there may be several other flash points that I have not yet been able to see. Thank you to all those who continue to follow and support this fanfic despite its meandering pace, I look forward to providing many more memorable Mariko moments to come ~ Ethereal_


	18. Revelation in Remembrance - Part 1

**Revelation In Remembrance – Part 1**

Akko paused for a few moments wondering how and where to start the message. She then selected the Document she'd started before and read over it. It was okay but somehow she felt like starting it afresh. Crossing it off she clicked on Word and opened a new blank template.

_Better to write it all in one go._

Having opened word and would cut and paste across to her email when done. Normally she'd just type straight into email but she wasn't sure she'd finish tonight and it would be best to properly spell check it given the length.

She toyed with a formal start to the letter but it didn't seem right even if this was a more formal email. She had dropped using 'Oka-san' and her mother's first name Machiko remained a fact rather than something she begun to use to address her mum; usually she used no title or name at all. She remembered when she was younger she'd found it out when she'd read the post and seen it written there. Her mother had explained it meant 'knowledgeable' and that she had been called 'Akko' because it symbolised someone of 'quick thought and creative talent'. "Something you got from me" her mum had added with a chuckle. She wondered whether she should use it this time, but felt a little embarrassed.

She knew her fathers first name as well, but not his surname. She'd found out when she was around seven and had been asked to do a school project on what jobs their fathers did. She had asked her Aunt after school (back then her Aunt Remu had helped take and collect her from school when her mother was working) why she didn't have a dad. Aunt Remu's face bore a curious expression which later Akko realised was disapproval but perhaps to her Aunt's credit she said nothing more than that he had gone far away.

That led to face to face talk with her mum the following day after school. Her mum picked her up and took her home, cooked for them both and then over dinner had broached the subject.

"Akko, you want to know about your oto-san?"

She had nodded. Back then most kids had an oto-san. She was curious to know hers. It was like a piece missing from a puzzle, something to explore. Her mother's face, softer and younger then with a few less lines, wasn't exactly sad but wistful, almost embarrassed.

"Well his name is Takuya. He is a business man working far away in America. Do you know where America is?"

Akko nodded, her wavy hair bobbing accordingly as she maintained a serious intense expression across the table from her mum; eyes wide.

"It's the big land across the sea."

Her mum smiled gently making Akko smile as well.

"That's right Akko. Well he is very busy working in his company out there. He works selling all sorts of things across America to people."

"What does he look like?"

"Brown wavy hair, a snub nose, tall and slim and very smart."

"Why is he always gone?"

For a moment her mums eyes had had shifted and gone distant. Even then, or perhaps because she was a child then, Akko had got the impression of sorrow or regret.

"Because he had important stuff to do in America. So the two of us have to do the best we can for ourselves."

After that, with childish intuition telling her that her mum didn't really want to continue talking Akko had switched to talking about school and what she'd learned.

Back then it had seemed so simplistic: She had written some sort of short sentence about her dad working in a far off land, spelling 'Beikoku' as 'Beyoku' in childish scrawl and drawing a skyscraper, a man in a suit with hair that curved a little too long, with an oversized briefcase and a UFO as at the time she believed from watching the TV that that was what usually appeared in America.

As her father had never been there she didn't miss him, and after that project had finished she lost a lot of her curiosity. When she did ask the occasional question, for example 'when's ota-san going to return?' it was met by vague and uninformative replies like 'Who knows' or 'not for some time'.

It wasn't until she was in her tenth year that it was made clear to her mother and her that he would never be returning, and that she discovered that her mothers words, whilst not lies, had simply been the surface of the truth: She had been aware from near the start he had had no intention of returning to them.

With a start Akko realised it was 20.20 and she had spent several minutes staring blankly at the screen. For a second she wondered whether to bother starting tonight.

Rubbing her forehead, she then reached down to her right and withdrew a cardboard packet, yellow in colour, containing dark chocolate pocky sticks. Running her right thumbnail under the top of the packet she prised open the lid and folded back the tab underneath. Pulling out the shiny silver interior she spent a few seconds wrestling with the crinkled, crackling slippery bag until gaining purchase she was able to pull it apart. A sea of pale stumps greeted her and she withdrew one, popping the sweet chocolate end into her mouth and enjoying the salty aftertaste counterbalancing the initial sugar high. She placed the packet next to the laptop and withdrew another pocky. Crunching that she turned her attention back to the screen.

_Ous! This time I really will begin. Hmm… _Her fingers moved down and she began to type:

**How should I begin to tell what has occurred between us? I guess the only way to explain is to start at the beginning when we first met and move forward.**

**It was in second term of first year that I first spoke with Mari. I had seen her in first term all alone. She reminded me a little of myself from the school before. Even in first term, although I was with Sugi and Tamamin, we connected really over fashion and not much else. I found myself drawn to wanting to add Mari to our circle of friends. I wanted to see her truly smile, wanted to make her cuter, wanted to learn more about her. Looking back it seems as if I'd fallen for Mari even before she made me realise what my own feelings for her were. **

**I asked to walk home with her during second term and to my joy she didn't reject me out of hand. She was shy and awkward initially and a few times I was worried she would run from me as a nuisance, but instead we became close friends quickly. She was so sweet and I really enjoyed watching her grow. Maybe in that sense I was a little selfish and overbearing. I had to apologise at one point for forcing too much of my tastes onto her.**

**I never suspected though that as we grew closer, Mari was starting to wrestle with new and stronger feelings. **

Akko paused and wolfed down 2 more Pocky sticks, then scratched an itch on the back of her neck as she thought of that night. Their journey both looked like a smooth flow and yet within that smooth flow were memories that stood like rising spikes, sheer mountains. The awkwardness over the kiss whilst she was asleep was a small one which had poked above the surface in hindsight; the day Mari came over to have her makeup done an Everest of a mountain. Just imagining Mari's pain that evening caused her eyes to prick and well up, as usual, with fingers bent and frozen for a short moment above the keyboard.

**My ignorance hurt Mari so much! When she, terrified, admitted to kissing me whilst I was asleep I treated it as a joke. Sugi, Tamamin and I used to do it a lot after all. She tried to go out with a guy from her old school for a bit to try and forget about her feelings ad for her first date I insisted she come round to my place so I could do her make up…**

**She didn't even know his first name and when I pressed she admitted she liked someone else. I recall so clearly saying 'If I were a boy I'd fall for you in a second.' She was crying as she said 'Akko you're so cruel' and kissed me before wiping it off my lips with her thumb; her tears running down my cheeks, warm and frightening. Whilst I trembled in confusion she let herself out straight away. I didn't know what to think. Kissing between girls was fun not serious. I barely slept that night trying to work out whether Mari had meant what I thought she meant, what I should do, how I should respond. It was so out of the blue it scared me. It wasn't normal. How would people react, what did it mean for us? I was really scared I was going to lose the first really good friend I had made. That we'd no longer be able to hang out and laugh and joke together. Her having a boyfriend had already been an unpleasant shock but this was way outside my expectations. I didn't think girls really did date other girls, seriously I mean. **

**There followed some awkward days of us hiding from each other. Then Mari apologised to me and said she was joking. We returned to a sort of normal except that Mari was more caught up with her boyfriend than me and so the months passed and we spilled into Summer of second year.**

Akko checked to find she'd already eaten most of the first packet of pocky. Glancing at the clock in the bottom right it read 21.12. Feeling a bit stiff she got up and stretched back.

_I don't feel like sleeping now, I want to try and finish this tonight; if only in draft form. I'll go check if we have any Khalua at the moment. I'm pretty sure there was half a bottle. _

She made her way back through the dark living area and switched on the kitchen the inbuilt metal handle she swung open the cabinet just above her head and to the right of the were a couple of bottles of Sawanotsuri Sake (one of her mum's favourite) and a bottle of Khalua. Picking up the Khalua she estimated from the weight there was still a quarter of the bottle left; the bottle being too dark a brown to see through.

She set it down on the counter, ssending out a solid almost metallic ring and then moved to the upper cabinet one step to her right where the cups and glasses were kept. She took a small glass tumbler; plain except for teardrop like grooves around the bottom. Placing it on the counter she poured the dark brown, coffee smelling liquor to half way and then put the bottle back in the cupboard. She then filled the remainder of the glass from a blue carton of sweetened soy milk from the fridge to give it the colour of milk chocolate; the bottom of the glass patterned with up and down triangles of dark and light brown, caused by the way the light reflected through the teardrop patterns.

_This was the drink we had the night that Mari first kissed me. If we hadn't shared a glass would she have never kissed me? Was that the moment she started to realise?_

Akko smiled at the glass and took a sip with a quietly mouthed 'kanpai!' in gratitude. Then, feeling a little foolish, she switched off the light and carefully skirted her way back about the shadows of table and bent back chairs to the light spreading from her bedroom entrance across the corridor floor. There was much more to write if she was going to get this email done tonight and if she dallied too long she knew she'd give up.

* * *

_A/N: Now I've worked out more of a framework for this story it's become a bit easier to write. Inspired by some Khalua milk (which I'm increasingly enjoying, especially mixed with sweetened soy milk) I managed to write most of next Chapter; albeit the first 700 words weren't in my plan at all but Akko got distracted. That being the case I decided to split this Chapter into 2. I'd like to say Akko finishes the letter in the next Chapter but I'm far from certain. Tiredness may well get the better of her. _

_I was also considering bringing in the other characters a bit as asides…I may do but for the most part there is little of direct interest happening to them at the minute. Mari's household have eaten and she and her brother are in their respective bedrooms, her mother is tidying the kitchen and considering shopping for the next day and her father is watching TV (he switched to the news at 9pm if one was interested. Before that he was watching a baseball game, supporting the Yomiuri Giants against the Yokohama BayStars). Akko's mum is now on her way home from meeting with an old school friend (she did not discuss Akko's recent revelation and they do not meet up regularly enough now for her friend to notice anything was different. Machiko did toy with the idea of asking about a friends daughter but (perhaps wisely) suspected her friend would realise if she said that. _

_Maybe I will go look further afield for an aside next Chapter; albeit I suspect the letter will take up more than enough space__. Any suggestions welcome :)_


End file.
